running for roswell

The check has been presented!

2010-07-01T12:12:00.000-07:00

Finally, I was able to present the check for $6450 to Dr. O'Connor. The true people who helped are everyone who donated money, time, resources--and there were many people.

Dr. O'Connor already has 20 women in her study and can now hire someone to help manage the interviews, paperwork, and programs. Once she gets 35 people, she will write large grants. I am such a fan of this research that I am very honored to have helped in some small way. I can't wait to see the results of the research. I truly believe it will impact these women's lives. The true people who helped are everyone who donated money, time, resources--and there were many people.

Last day

2010-06-16T06:57:00.000-07:00

So I am currently sitting in a chair receiving my last herceptin treatment. I hope I didn't insult the wonderful nurses by telling them I really hoped I never saw them again (at least in this setting)! I am happy to have the procedures over, but it also makes you nervous as now you know it's up to your body to keep you healthy, and obviously my body hasn't been very successful doing that.

Now I am on to other things. Lauren's baby is going to arrive at any time. I am going to go down to Maryland to help out when he comes. Tommy will be my partner-in-crime as we explore the zoo and other places. We will have so much fun together. From there, Bob and I are going to continue heading south to check out Charleston and Savannah. We will also stop and see his brother in Aiken, SC and head over the border to Washington, GA--the site of my first teaching job in 1979. It was a very old and beautiful town, but still so very segregated back then. I'm interested to see how it has changed. We just like to wander while on vacation--no real specific destinations/timeline. We always have fun!

I continue to run--am back to my routine schedule of about 10 miles 5-6 days a week. I also cycle as often as possible. We've had more rain in the last couple weeks then anything, but hopefully summer will soon kick in.

Marathon Pictures

2010-06-11T05:08:00.000-07:00

The first is a shot of the starting line with an insert of me finishing. This was from official pictures of the race. The second is mine and my parents' back with the shirts we wore on race day (you can see a little of Bob's arm). My skin was so pale then. Now it is leathery and peeling from the sunburn I got during the run.

I was back running easy yesterday and today. I can tell I'm not fully recovered, but my legs don't hurt at all; they are just heavy. The Susan G. Komen race is this weekend. Bob and I are volunteering at it, not running. I plan to take a (long) break from racing, seeing as I can't run hard anyway. Last herceptin is next week; then my heart can start to get stronger.

Billy is doing good work these days. He's working in a lab that is researching ways to stop prostate cancer from metastisizing into the bone. I don't pretend to understand, but he's been doing something to a gene that has been found to quickly metastisize. It is nice to see him doing meaningful work, no matter how small a role he is playing in the research.

I finished...

2010-06-06T15:22:00.000-07:00

and I qualified for the Boston Marathon. But I am definitely not running it. I did the first half (13.1) in 1:54+ and the second half in about 2:01, so I finished in 3:55.15--6th in age (I have to find out how many were in my age group, but I'm guessing a hundred or more). I'm very satisfied with my time. I need to retire from marathoning while I'm ahead--all four have been under 4 hours. Around mile 22 though, I was remembering why I hadn't done one in 10 years--it's really not fun at that point!

The day dawned cloudy and 60s, which is what it's been since we got here. Naturally, before we hit the halfway mark, the sun burned brightly. That is the one weather type that Bob cannot handle. He gets dehydrated so quickly, and that did him in today. I also have to take some blame, because I went out a little faster then what we'd planned (9 minute miles). It's really hard when your adrenaline is going and there are lots of racers to pass.

Weather doesn't really bother me, except for the sunburn I got. The bands early on were great early on; I can't say I paid much attention during the last 5-6 miles. There were lots of cheerleaders too and twice there were groups of men in drag. I couldn't tell if they were the same or a different group. I tried to watch as much as possible, but that's not my strong point when running.

What I did love is that I wore all pink, so I really stood out. I ran, for the first time, in a skirt--and I loved it. It was so comfortable and no chafing. I also had my name on my arms and people called out with my name or referenced the pink. I also had a lot of people come up to me with heartfelt words (because of the shirt I was wearing). They really helped drive me to the finish. One young man who could read English, but not speak it, passed me at about the 22nd mile and said some word to me--I have no idea what--but the tone of his voice was so sincere. I saw him at the end and he said a few more words and then hugged me. It was really touching! I could just tell by his tone and gestures that he was a really good person.

The finish was quite emotional as I thought about it being just about a year to the day that I started chemo. Even though the marathon hurt more, it was many times better!

When I get one, I will post a picture. I have to say, I'm glad this is over. My new goal is to just run for fun!

And off we go...

2010-06-02T17:39:00.001-07:00

We're leaving for San Diego bright and early tomorrow morning. This is when all my neuroses kick in! Have I trained enough? too much? have I tapered enough? am I still in good enough shape? will my heart hold up? (I guess that's my biggest worry.)

How will my pace be? I know there will be 25,000 runners, so it will be hard to get any speed and it will mean an even slower time then I could run. That makes me crazy, but I have to remember I am out there to enjoy myself and finish--I need to be happy I can finish, even if it's a 4 1/2 hour marathon. My big mistake was looking up the Boston Marathon qualifying time--4:05. I know I could make it if there wasn't such a crowd. Why do I care though; I have no intention of running Boston again. I'm supposed to run very easy and keep my heart rate down, but I know people expect more--but why do I care? (See, I have a lot of neuroses at this point!!!)

It could be worse--I could have unplugged the computer before the end of the MCAT test! Now that is stress! Billy is so much more calm then me (and just about anyone I know!).

It could be worse--the umpire just robbed the Tiger pitcher of a perfect game. Unbelievable!

None of my kids will be there, but mom, dad, and a couple of my sisters will be there. I got a nice goody bag from Roswell Park Cancer Institute with shirts for Bob and me and 4 shirts for spectators, plus signs and a couple noise makers--they better use those early; after 20 miles I am focused on just finishing and don't want talking and noise. The closest thing I can liken the last few miles of a marathon is childbirth--only because after my first marathon, I told someone I hadn't felt that bad since childbirth. Independently, Bob said he hadn't seen me so cranky since childbirth--so I guess that's the closest analogy. We'll see what happens here.

Keep me in mind on Sunday. The race starts at 6:15 a.m. pacific time (9:15 eastern). I don't expect to get over the starting line until 7:00 or so. We're in corrals based on our estimated finish time, so I'm way back. If I'm not done by noon (3:00 p.m. eastern time), I'm guessing there was trouble.

My biggest and most important triumph has already happened--I raised $6400 for my doctor's research, which she has already started. It's important research and will improve the quality of life for many women.

I had some explaining to do!

2010-05-27T17:15:00.000-07:00

I had my second to last herceptin treatment yesterday. First I had to see the doctor and explain why she didn't have the results of my stress test. I had to explain my grandson's 1st birthday party was a higher priority. Not really a good explanation for a doctor, but she understood. She was going to have to explain it to the cardiologist though--he was not going to be happy!

We leave for San Diego a week from today. Looking at the weather there, it's going to be a lot cooler than in Buffalo. The Buffalo marathon is this weekend, and it's supposed to be over 80 degrees. That is mighty warm for a marathon. At this point, it's only supposed to be in the 60s in San Diego--perfect for me!

I'm supposed to be cutting my mileage, but I'm not doing too well. I did a 15 miler today. I'm afraid of losing my conditioning if I back off too much.

It's been absolutely beautiful Buffalo weather this week--mid to upper 80s all week. I think it's been better then any week we had last summer when it rarely stopped raining. I've loved having my bike out. I've been riding everywhere. Last summer I rarely rode because I was doing chemo. It feels good to air it out and have the breeze blowing through you. It really is nice to be healthy this year, and I feel like I'm in such good shape.

Mmm...Cheerios

2010-05-23T05:30:00.001-07:00

Buffalo may be cold and miserable 8 months a year, but when it's nice, it is hard to beat. Yesterday was a gorgeous morning (until it started drizzling about mile 9), so we set off for South Buffalo for one of my favorite runs. It's a very eclectic run--industry, parks, old neighborhoods. It really is a snapshot of what Buffalo looked like 75 years ago. The neighborhoods are mostly tidy little houses that were built around factories. You can still see where trains went right into the buildings to take away whatever they were making. You start in the center of the business district and work your way down cobblestone streets and lots of neighborhood bars--it's South Buffalo (Irish) after all. Part of the run is along the lake, past the botanical gardens, the Basilica in the distance and then the best part--right past the General Mills plant where they were baking Cheerios. I just wanted to stop, get a spoon and start eating cheerios off the assembly line (or however they pack them). It smelled SO good! We only went 12 miles, but I'd been 17 the day before. I'm supposed to be cutting back, but had my high mile mark last week (72 miles from Sunday to Saturday). I promise myself I will cut back this week. I do feel strong right now and ready to go.

Billy finished his MCAT for better or worse. He said the test was much harder then any practice tests out there. Hopefully he can take a breath and relax a little.

Here's a question. Would you ever ride a train again if you'd been on this one? An Amtrak (so passenger) train went through Buffalo on its way to Toronto on Friday. It hit and killed a woman walking on the tracks in Buffalo (I ran across the tracks in the exact spot last Saturday). When it neared Toronto, the same train hit and killed a man walking on the tracks. Neither accident was the engineer's fault, but I would think he'd have a hard time driving a train ever again. I think I'd have a hard time being a passenger either. Very traumatic!

Two weeks until marathon day. It's coming fast now!

3 weeks to go!

2010-05-16T12:23:00.000-07:00

The countdown is on--3 weeks to marathon day! I finally finished another sort of marathon this afternoon--end of semester grading. It takes total focus and a disciplined brain for many days. I am happy to say, I am finished (and most students, though not all, did well)! Graduation was wonderful last night--I got to hood many of our masters' degree awardees. I have to write two reports tomorrow--I'm not doing them today--and then I can put this semester to bed. The rest of the week I have all-day meetings preparing for fall.

Yesterday, Bob and I ran 20 miles up by the river. It was a beautiful morning and I felt like I could run forever. We even negative splitted. I felt like I got even stronger the last 5 miles. I was wishing it was marathon day. Normally I don't eat or drink anything when I run--so bad--but we left later then I normally go out so I ate a banana beforehand. I also had a few swigs of Bob's water during the run. I'm guessing that helped with my energy at the end. I will have to practice eating and running these next couple weeks.

That was the last 20 miler before the marathon. I will do a long slow taper now. I want my legs as fresh as they can be on marathon day.

Wow, have I been busy!

2010-05-13T17:53:00.000-07:00

This has been such a busy week, but very little has revolved around running. We have managed to see all the kids during the week and I've also managed to finish classes and exams and do major amounts of grading. Last weekend, we went to Silver Spring, MD to celebrate Tommy's first birthday. What a good and adorable little boy. We had so much fun with him--and with Lauren and Andy. They all seem so good. Next time I see them, they will have the second little boy. We also did get in a 13 mile run on the Capital Crescent Trail.

We came back Sunday and then Bob, Lindsay and I left for Ann Arbor, MI on Wednesday to see Billy and continue our tradition of going to a Yankee game. Since Billy isn't coming home this summer, we decided to go to a game in Detroit. The Yankees were only playing in Detroit once this year--this week. We had to work out the game between my finals' schedule and Billy's class and work schedule. No easy job. Luckily, we ended up at the only game of the series that the Yankees won (8-0). The weather wasn't too bad either, which means we didn't get rained on. We had great seats and the kids had fun together. And, to make them happier, Eminem and Jay-Z were there and we got to see them.

Happy Birthday to Dad--he turns 81 tomorrow. It won't be as fun as last year's birthday (when the whole family showed up to surprise him), but hope it's still a good one.

This is such a fun time of year, even though I haven't been in town much. Actually, all the driving has helped me get my grading done. Bob drives most of the way while I work. Tomorrow morning is our department's Honors and Awards Breakfast. I get to introduce my student teacher as she's winning a major award. Saturday is graduation. I get to hood the masters' candidates from our department. It's all very rewarding to see how far the students have come.

Also Saturday is the final 20 mile run before the taper begins. We are getting down to the wire.

Countdown

2010-05-06T17:06:00.001-07:00

One month to marathon day! I feel like I'm ready. I had to cancel my stress test tomorrow. We're heading out early to Maryland instead. It's always such a quick weekend that I like to get there as early as possible. And it's important we are there for Tommy's 1st birthday. It may be the only birthday for a few years that we get to be part of. They couldn't reschedule the stress test until after the marathon, so I don't see much sense in rescheduling it. As Bob asked though--what would I do if they told me it was inadvisable to run the marathon. I would probably run it anyway. I'm this close to it and I've already done 2 20 milers.

It will be fun getting in a long run on the Bethesda-DC path. I love running there. (I just love it there, period.) The only downside is that I have three big bags full of papers/projects to grade. At least it's a long drive where I can get a lot done. Next Wed/Thursday we're driving to Michigan and back to go to a Yankees-Tigers game, so I'll have time to grade then too.

Last day of classes today. Can't believe we're really coming to the end of the semester. It's really gone by fast. This is the fun time of year. I got to go to the athletic banquet honoring scholar-athletes and seniors (I'm on the athletic board for the college). I've also been to the Honor's Convocations and Who's Who ceremonies with students--I love when they ask me to come. I was also given a faculty appreciation award from one of my students--such an honor. Now my student teacher is winning one of the top student teaching awards, plus I get to hood all the masters degree candidates in our department at graduation next Saturday. So much excitement this time of year. It's so rewarding seeing the kiddos do so well. There is so much growth from the time they enter until the time they graduate.

wind me up

2010-05-01T17:01:00.001-07:00

Wind me up and let me go. Completed another 20 miler this morning in just under 3 hours. I tell myself I am ready for the marathon, and then remember I still have an hour of running left. The bands at every mile will keep me going. It was amazing--70 degrees at 6 a.m.

It was my last Saturday of the Book Hour, so I won't have to head out so early after this weekend. Next weekend we will be in Maryland for Tommy's birthday. Can't believe he will be a year old. I do love running on the paths near Lauren's house. And now that I don't have to work on Saturday morning, Bob and I can go out together.

Random thoughts for today: the new grandbaby is due in 2 months. Another cute baby boy. Lindsay had a blast at the very muddy Kentucky Derby today and even had $5 on the winner (won $45). I thought she might like the horse because of his name (she has no money so is a Super Saver; she said it was because she likes the ragin' Cajun jockey). Since President Obama was the speaker at Michigan's graduation this year, does that mean they'll have a lousy one next year when Billy graduates? I asked Billy what he was doing after his last exam this week--his response--going to the library! Three weeks until the MCATs. I'm probably more anxious then he is for them!

Uneventful is good?

2010-04-25T16:10:00.000-07:00

It's been such an uneventful week. I guess that's good as it means I haven't been sick or injured--my main goals between now and marathon day. The weather's been cool and clear and I've been running 12-15 miles on most days. (I take one or two days off each week and cycle 50+ miles.)

We're winding down the semester, which means I gear up. Lots of work, including hours and hours of grading. I really need to re-think how much work I assign (I say that every semester, but feel it's all important!). Next week is the last week of our Wegmans' reading program. It's been so much fun and so successful, but will give me time on Saturdays to do long runs with Bob. So much to do before the semester ends, including going to Tommy's first birthday party in Maryland in two weeks (May 8) and then going to a Yankees-Tigers game in Detroit on May 12. We're taking a quick trip between my finals and graduation.

Billy got his (paid) lab job at Michigan. Before starting the job (and his spring term class), he might even come home next weekend. It will be a quick trip, but he hasn't been home since New Years. Hard to think he's finishing his junior year.

Finely tuned animals

2010-04-19T10:02:00.000-07:00

We must be such finely tuned animals that when anything goes wrong, the body sends out signals. After you've been sick like me, they become warning signals. The last warning signals were high liver enzyme numbers. There are many causes of elevated numbers (that is where the internet is helpful, but also can cause alarm!). Luckily, after a CT scan, I can safely say my liver is healthy. Right now there is not a known reason for the numbers, but there might not be any reason. I will not run before my next blood test--strenuous exercise can be a reason for the elevation. At any rate, I have a healthy liver!

Now I just have to get through the stress test. After running a steady 20 miler this weekend, I doubt my heart is stressed. I feel like you can just wind me up, let me go, and 3 hours later I've run a (slow) steady 9 minutes per mile 20 miler. I may not be good at much, but I can run a very steady pace for a long time.

Blown in!

2010-04-15T16:47:00.000-07:00

I had my muga (heart) scan yesterday. The number was a little low, but high enough that they felt it safe to continue the herceptin. And I was informed I have only three more treatments. I'll be happy not to have to do it, but on the other hand, it's nice to feel like I have some protection from recurrance. My body has to do the work after that.

While I was at the hospital preparing for the test (you get a shot of some radiological material, wait a half hour, get another shot of something that sticks to the stuff in the first shot, and then have the test--I wouldn't make a good doctor with these explanations). Anyway, I was just talking to the lab tech. She's a young girl who runs. She asked what I was training for. I casually told her the San Diego marathon. She told me she was 5 months pregnant, but was having trouble running because she had to constantly go to the bathroom I was telling her that maybe the elliptical machine might be a little more comfortable. We were just chatting.

Well, she must have told someone that she had a patient who was running a marathon. It somehow got to the cardiologist who called my doctor to have her tell me I probably shouldn't be running. She tried to explain to him that I was careful, not running hard, kind of knew what I was doing. She also asked him if he warns his patients that sitting on the couch all day could be harmful to their hearts! I liked that. He insists though that I take a stress test to make sure my heart can withstand the run (little does he know I've already put in a 19 miler). I'm sure part of it is concern for me, but part is probably for liability. I'll get the test, but I feel I'm fine.

2010-04-13T05:18:00.000-07:00

Check out my fundraising thermometer--it's over the top! http://giving.roswellpark.org/kimtruesdell With so many generous donations from individuals and then the comedy fundraiser (which raised $3200), I have exceeded my goal of $5000--and there is still time for more. I just can't thank people enough for their generous donations.

After I saw the total this morning, it seemed as if the birds were chirping a little louder on my 12 mile run. It was an absolutely beautiful morning. Because I go so early, before the cars come out to pollute the air, I can really smell springtime--newly mown grass, flowering trees and bushes. It's really the best time of year for the scents (and senses).

I passed my fundraising goal; now tomorrow is my heart scan. Hope I pass that so I can continue with the herceptin treatment.

Everything is blooming, except the weather

2010-04-08T17:03:00.001-07:00

The trees are starting to bud, the daffodils are out, the grass is green--spring in Buffalo can be beautiful. Now if only the weather would cooperate again! I had to run home fast this morning after only five miles--I've read enough stories of people being struck by lightening while running. It wasn't raining yet, but it stopped me in my tracks a couple times by the jagged streaks and the brightness. When you hear a siren a minute after you see the lightening, you know it's too close to be outside. Now tomorrow they are predicting a possibility of a little snow. Oh where are you record high temperatures of last week? (I know, I can't be greedy!)

Less than two months until marathon day. At this point, the focus becomes staying injury-free and healthy. I know I will be ready to run the distance. The sad news, AJ, my nephew who was to run with me, tried to enter last week, and the race was sold out. There is no way for him to enter now. That is really too bad.

Random thoughts of the day--
Today is Tommy's 11 month birthday. Where did the last year go? I was in treatment all year, but it still seemed to fly by. Only 5 weeks left of the school year, and so much more to accomplish. My students are anxious, but panicking over all the work they have left to do.
New grandbaby is due in less than 3 months. That's exciting, but it means Lauren, Andy and babies will be moving far away two months after that.
Lindsay has become an active exerciser--now we know the world is tilting the wrong way! Proud she's become a big sister to a young girl in Buffalo.
Billy can take a deep breath after he finishes his physics test tonight. So much to study for still. Needs to find the class he has to have this summer. Needs to get a lab job. Needs to do well on the MCATs next month. When does the worrying of a mother end?

Summer!!

2010-04-03T15:21:00.000-07:00

I was wearing fleece pants and gloves as recently as Wednesday and wore shorts and a tank top today. It was 84 degrees--smashed the record high. Couldn't have asked for better spring break weather. I got my bike out and rode the last couple days. It's been great! Back to reality tomorrow, but it could be worse. There's no snow in the forecast. We're actually on track to have the shortest winter ever. It was an odd winter--short but cold! No freezes and thaws--it stayed frozen for months.

Did a 19 miler this morning. It was probably marathon temperature--60s t0 70s. I had no trouble--I don't even need food or drink during that time--but Bob will struggle if it's in the 70s. He doesn't have a good cooling mechanism. (I do need to try to practice drinking water and/or gatorade. It's not good to dehydrate.) I am slow though. Maybe it will work to my advantage and I'll keep the pace up throughout the entire marathon. It's annoying though, but I can feel I don't have the strength or energy or something to go faster. Maybe if my next heart scan in 2 1/2 weeks is low and I have to stop the herceptin for a few weeks my heart function will improve and I'll be able to go a little faster. It will be an interesting experiment.

Spring break is over and there are 6 weeks left of the semester. I worked all week and did our project at Wegmans this morning, so not much break. I had a great turnout from my students and from children in the community at the grocery store. We were very happy for the day before Easter. The families involved seem to really enjoy it. At the store, my students do global book read alouds with the children and then do an activity related to the book. Now we need to find an activity for the parents (a book club for them?). They have become very social with each other now that the kids are comfortable with the structure. My students have done a great job and are so invested in it now. It's been so great, even though it means working every Saturday.

It was fun today--after Wegmans, I met Bob and Lindsay for lunch on Elmwood. If anyone thinks Buffalo is a dying city, they should walk down Elmwood at anytime, but especially on a beautiful spring day!

I dropped off my fundraising check to the hospital yesterday--$3200. I've raised over $6000. Can't wait to see it posted and see the thermometer go over the top. My goal was $5000, so I've exceeded it.

In like a lamb, out like a lamb

2010-03-30T10:54:00.000-07:00

What a terrific March! I don't think we had more than a ground cover of snow all month. It started with a lot of sun, and it's ending with a lot of sun. In fact, in a very unusual occurance, it is supposed to be 70 degrees for Easter this Sunday. I can't wait!

I'm running a lot, but mighty slow. It's discouraging, but I have to accept it. I have a MUGA scan in two weeks, and I have a feeling my numbers are going to be low. Ever since I had the flu, I've slowed down quite a bit; I have a feeling it is because of the low output of my heart. Or, it could all be in my head!

I'm on spring break, but it just means I get to observe my student teacher without hurrying and to get caught up with work. My Global Book Hour at Wegmans on Saturday morning is a wonderful project, but is taking up a lot of time. At least it's a different pace. I still need to put my house back together after finally getting new carpeting after the most recent flood.

Running in Michigan

2010-03-27T07:37:00.000-07:00

A beautiful morning 12 miler in Ann Arbor, MI. Came to visit Billy for the weekend since he never comes home. Last fall when we were here, we found a giant park along the Huron River. Since then, we've been waiting to come back to run it. We parked in the heart of the park and took off in one direction. It was a little complicated to follow the path; at one point you have to go on the road for a bit and need to know where the path is--we did not! Bob has an incredible sense of direction though, so we meandered on and off the path for a few miles until we found our way. It was great though--we got to see a lot of places not many people see. The other way would take us to Eastern Michigan University--we'll try that next time. I've spent time at EMU since two of my siblings went there. It was a cold morning (24 degrees when we started), but very calm, so it wasn't bad.

This was a big change from Wednesday. It was a herceptin morning, so I didn't have to hurry to get to work. I decided to do an 18 miler. It had rained hard for 2 days and was 32 degrees. When I hit the road I knew it was kind of slick, but not too bad. Listening to the radio though, it sounded like bumper cars on the raod. I'm not sure if I'd have made it to work if I had to--it seemed like all the ramps to school were closed because of rollovers. I've never heard about so many accidents. I did the entire 18 though, and only had to catch my balance twice.

Sometimes I feel I lead a rather eclectic life. Worked 13 hours one day, ran 18, had an anti-cancer treatment and went to the musical "Grease" the next, rode 59 miles a couple days later, and now I'm in Ann Arbor for the weekend. I guess it can't get boring!

Next treatment is preceded by a heart scan. Hope all will go well, but I'm not totally optimistic. If I score to low, I'll have to hold off on the treatment. I just want to get them over with!

Smells like spring

2010-03-21T09:35:00.000-07:00

Spring is officially here, and it smells like it. There is that damp, musty smell in the air today. Normally it is not a pleasant smell but, in early spring, it's a welcome smell from the winter smells. We've had an unprecedented March so far, weather-wise. I even have a crocus blooming.

After being sick last week, I've had a lousy week of running. Yesterday was the first time I didn't feel sick while running, but it's still slower--and I was slow to begin with. I've got to get the consistency back.

I am so busy these days that I'm not in a good routine. I am doing lots of interesting projects at work, but really bogged down with grading and meetings. Spring break in a week--hopefully I can catch up then. Bob's been doing a lot of traveling, so he is working long days also. I'm hoping we can slow down long enough to go to Ann Arbor next weekend to see Billy.

Go 'Cuse. We gave Lindsay our tickets--she's a proud Syracuse grad. Hope she's having fun. The game shows a sea of orange.

Ugh!

2010-03-15T16:31:00.000-07:00

Well, now I know one of the few things that can prevent me from running--a stomach bug! I was really laid flat this weekend by the bug, and it wasn't pretty! Hopefully I will be able to build my strength back up pretty quickly. No running, lifting, riding--lots of sleeping (or trying to)!

March Madness is about to start. Don't forget to fill out your brackets--even without gambling, it is a fun way to watch the games--especially the early rounds. Pick an upset or two! The first two rounds are in Buffalo, and we have tickets. They are promised to Lindsay as she is a Syracuse grad and a huge basketball fan. It makes for a fun couple weeks--and then I'm on spring break!

Hopefully I can start to get back on track tomorrow. I love that it's light longer in the evening--got home from work at 6:30 tonight and it was still light--but it's back to very dark in the morning. Oh well, give it a month and that will start to change.

Great week for running

2010-03-10T14:47:00.000-08:00

50 degrees!! It feels so nice!

Had a great late night last night--took in the Billy Joel/Elton John concert with Lindsay. I'm not an EJ fan, but he did put on a good show. I know every Billy Joel song though, and saw him once before. Together, they put on a great 3 hour show. Lindsay was appalled though by the gray and balding dancers.

To top that off, today Lindsay got to meet gold medal bobsledder, Steve Messler (Buffalo native) and take a picture wearing his medal. How cool! She said it was better than meeting any celebrity.

I got home quite late last night, and had to get up early to put in a 17 miler, and still get to work by 8 a.m. It's supposed to be rainy the rest of the week and weekend, so I needed to get it in. I felt pretty good--though I'm tired today! It's so busy at work, so no time to pause. I guess that's a good thing; I couldn't fall asleep.

In like a lamb

2010-03-07T13:23:00.000-08:00

The first week of March is in the books, and a beautiful week it was. It may have only been in the low to mid-30s, but we had more sun in the last week then the last 4 months put together. The snow is melting, the winds are mostly calm--can spring be far behind? (well, yes it could; we're in Buffalo after all!) Mom must be the good luck charm, bringing the sun from Arizona. She left yesterday; hope the weather gods haven't figured that out.

It was so nice this morning, Bob and I decided to run on the paths along Ellicott Creek and the Niagara River. Not many people out, so it was a nice run. It was nice to be able to do the weekend run together again. It was Bob's first time on the roads since November (he goes on the treadmill through the winter--for good reason).

There was a similarly sunny and nice March day exactly 7 years ago. It was the week of my very first chemo (March 4, 2003--Lauren's 19th birthday--hard to forget). That weekend, I was walking on the path while Bob went to run. I had it timed so we would finish together. I finished and waited and waited and waited. Finally a policeman came and told me Bob was on his way to the hospital. He'd slipped on the ice and broke 3 bones in his ankle. It was a very remote part of the path; luckily someone across the creek finally saw him. After all the screws and plate, it's amazing he is even contemplating the marathon in June. Today, we went on a sunnier part of the path so it was down to pavement. No problems!

Busy week coming up, but I have to fit in a 17 miler.

Fundraiser Tally

2010-03-03T17:18:00.000-08:00

Besides having a terrific time Saturday--and everyone is saying how much fun they had--we raised quite a bit of money. The baskets were a big hit and Roger returned most of his winnings from the 50/50 raffle, so we netted $3000 from the show. With the money donated online and the checks that still have to be sent in, there is about $3000 in donations. At this moment, we have $6033 to donate. That is pretty amazing--and humbling. I can't wait until I can deliver it to Dr. O'Connor.

Speaking of that, I spent a good portion of the day at treatment today. Dr. O'Connor was excited that her husband and young son can go to a Sabres game with the basket they won from the fundraiser. All was well, and one more treatment is knocked off.

Laughter is the Best Medicine

2010-03-01T00:19:00.000-08:00

We did it! The comedy show was so much fun! The room was packed and we had 39 baskets to raffle. The only damper on the day was that USA hockey lost the heartbreaker. When the game went into overtime, just as I was to leave for the club, I was beginning to worry that no one would show up. When Canada won, I was afraid everyone would be too upset to come. But the crowds came and people were laughing hard, so I think it was a great success. It was such a fun way to raise money for a great cause. We should have the final tallies in a couple days.

It was interesting to see all my different worlds collide. There were family, neighbors, colleagues, students, my kids' friends, running friends, high school and college friends, Rochester friends (and we haven't lived there in 22 years), and my doctor. It was pretty amazing! I just wish I'd had the chance to talk to everyone more. I felt like I was bouncing from one place to another without stopping to really talk. I really wanted to thank everyone so much for coming and supporting this.

flexibility! and this and that

2010-02-24T17:16:00.000-08:00

I woke up and read the headlines on the news--winter storm warning Thursday-Saturday. And I'm scheduled for a 16 mile run on Saturday. Snowy roads would make it so much more difficult. I didn't have to teach this morning, the roads were clear and it was in the upper 20s--so I decided to do the 16 miler today. I couldn't venture too far out of the neighborhood since it was dark for most of the run, but it was a beautiful morning. For people who know my running, it's a big deal for me to change my plans on the spur of the moment. When I have a distance in mind (usually 10 miles), if I don't go at least that far I will run past my house to finish it, even if it's only to next door.

I hope the weather clears up before everyone comes on Friday and Saturday. We'll have a full house this weekend. I can't wait to see so many people. There are only 10 tickets left, so we've done a pretty good job. Baskets are still coming in; we have a great variety.

The marathon course finally came out. It looks like a nice course. It is net downhill and the last 8 or so miles are along the ocean. That should keep it cool.

With all my activities, I am way too busy. I'm trying to train, get organized for the fundraiser Sunday and am extremely busy at work. I've got lots of projects going on; I feel I hardly have time for classes (and grading!). I was even carrying a huge hockey bag with the college mascot (Bengal tiger) across campus today. My students are reading at the local grocery store (Wegmans on Amherst Street, if you want to come) on Saturday morning, and the Bengal will be roaming the store trying to get children to participate. Everyone who comes will go home with a book. Hopefully it all works out.

Got our NCAA basketball tickets delivered today. Those games are so much fun to watch. We've promised Lindsay the tickets though if Syracuse is in this region. Billy signed up for the MCATs today--I guess there's no backing out for him now.

Spring?

2010-02-20T12:17:00.000-08:00

It's above freezing today for the first time in a month! Twenty five degrees and clear roads this morning--been a long time since conditions were that good. The ski resorts are happy--a little snow everyday and cold weather. They've been able to stay open all winter. At least it's good for someone.

One week until the comedy club fundraiser. Had three people over last night helping to put baskets together. Had a newcomer helping--Linda is a basket expert. She did a nice job showcasing them. We have a wonderful assortment with lots of great items. Quite a few individuals and several businesses have really stepped up. Is it appropriate for me to bid on baskets? Should I use an alias? I really want to win some of them. Only about 20 tickets left. I really hope we sell out. Can't wait for everyone to come to town.

Katie had to bow out of helping as she became a victim of the Buffalo winter. Monday night she slipped on the ice and broke her ankle. She ended up with surgery to have pins and a plate put in. Ugh! It sounds so terribly painful, but she still has a smile on her face.

Hi Becky!

2010-02-14T18:23:00.000-08:00

Just finished dinner with Becky and her mom. It is hard to stop laughing when she is over!

Seemed warm at 28 degrees and a swift breeze. It makes me sad that I can think of that as a nice day. We haven't seen above freezing in a month. Wish it could be 28 and clear roads. The layer of snow was slick this morning.

I made 14 miles yesterday. That's the longest I've run since the Ironman in 2005. I was snowing big puffy flakes most of the time, but I was still able to average just under 9 minute miles, negative splitting by a few seconds. It means I am getting stronger. I get annoyed that I can't try to increase the speed, but I will try to get strong enough to run 9 minute miles for the first 20 of the marathon. Then the last 6.2 can be what they will, and I should still be able to finish in 4 1/2 hours. It'll be my slowest by far, but I'll be satisfied with it--especially since my goal is to just have fun.

Wish everyone could watch Canadian Olympic coverage. They've just won their first gold medal and the young kid is now a national hero. Canadian coverage is so much more fun than American. Better stories, more varied sports, plus they're so serious and so patriotic. The only downfall so far--they actually showed the entire luge accident. It was horrifying to watch!

I know the best people

2010-02-07T15:26:00.000-08:00

I got an e-mail the other day from my good friend Becky. She can't come for the fundraiser, but wanted to know if there was anyone who might want to come but not be able to afford a ticket. I couldn't think of anyone, but then the next day I got an e-mail from a student at Buffalo State. I am the faculty advisor for a philanthropic sorority. They are putting together a basket for the fundraiser and a few of the girls would purchase tickets, but not all could come because they couldn't afford it. I sent the e-mail to Becky, and she is buying 4 tickets so the girls can come. Is that the nicest thing ever?!

We went to the comedy club last night for a show, just to see what it looked like, how it was set up. We had a lot of fun. It was a good comedian from LA. For our show, I'm assuming it will be the owner of the club, who is also on a morning radio show. He is usually very funny.

Now we have to put in the miles

2010-02-07T15:20:00.000-08:00

Bob and I have entered the San Diego Rock and Roll Marathon, have our hotel reservations and have made plane reservations. Now we just have to get the training miles in. I've got a start, as I did 12 miles yesterday--15 degrees with 15-20 mile winds, but I did it. Just the thought of San Diego puts a smile on my face (warm, great place). We're going a couple days early and staying an extra day to try to get some lactic acid out of the legs. The morning after the Boston Marathon, I got on a plane to London--and it was hard to get off it. We'll take the next day to walk around!

A sign of good things to come?

2010-02-04T08:01:00.000-08:00

It was a beautiful, clear (but extremely cold) morning today and I saw a shooting star. That is quite an unusual sight--I'm not sure if it is because there are so few shooting stars or so few clear mornings. It's probably been a couple years since I've seen one. I also noticed the sky getting lighter towards the end of my run. That is always a good sign!

February 1

2010-02-01T15:46:00.000-08:00

Why does February seem like the longest month of the year?

It's the month of the Comedy fundraiser. I think it is going to be a success. I love the looks of the attendees list already. It's a nice eclectic group of people of all ages. The basket collection (for raffle) is also going well. Lots of very generous people! With all the help I've had--Katie is so organized--it's been pretty easy for me. I feel like Katie, Marilyn and Tammy are doing more than me for it, especially Katie.

Time to pull out the marathon training plans--4 months to go. I'm not following any plan. Will just gradually increase my Saturday mileage until I'm up to 20 miles. I'm already at 11, so it can be very gradual. My weekday mileage is fine. I'm too old to do big jumps in mileage and I'm not allowed to increase intensity, so it will just have to be a slow, steady run. When I qualified for Boston, I ran in the 3:30s; I'm afraid this will be an hour slower, but I have to tell myself that is okay. I am doing this to have fun! Kally and AJ need to start making their plans. They are young, so if they don't follow the schedule religiously, it should probably be okay. Bob's the one I worry about; he's been having leg problems. Hopefully they'll straighten up in the next few weeks. With all the hardware in his ankle though, it may be tough--and painful--training.

good, bad, good

2010-01-30T09:16:00.000-08:00

So two good and one bad must equal pretty good or at least okay. That must sum up the run this morning. The good news when I woke up was that there was no new snow on the roads, for the first time this week (we'd had between 1-6 inches every morning). The bad news was that it was only 1 degree--though it was 1 above zero. When I went out I felt more good news--it was not windy. By about 3 miles I was warmed up and it didn't feel too bad for the last 8. The biggest issue is that, when it is this cold, your eyes water. When it drips down your face, your cheeks turn to ice crystals. You don't really notice except for when you can see it. Also, your eyelashes--top and bottom--get wet. This causes little icicles, which freeze them together and makes it hard to keep your eyes clear. You can't really wipe it away because your mittens are frozen and hard. You just keep blinking to try to get warmer water to melt them.

We're also collecting the baskets for the fundraiser. Yesterday I received one from Keli at work--Booze and Bucks she calls it. There are several bottles of wine and lottery tickets. I can think of a few people who will be interested in it. I've heard from several out of town friends who are planning on coming to the fundraiser. Hopefully the weather will cooperate so they can really come. I'm excited about seeing everyone and the fun we should have that evening.

It's already the end of January. First week of classes are over. They are big classes (due to cuts and not able to hire more people), but it is always fun to be teaching. Most of the students are pretty interesting and I look forward to a good semester.

Lindsay's visiting Lauren this weekend and going to the going away party for the panda at the DC zoo. Bob and Billy think she is nutty, but I think it would be fun. And, she'll get to see Tommy and her sister.

A little bit of everything!

2010-01-26T06:06:00.000-08:00

Even in the cold and wind, it's nice to be the first to make tracks in the new snow. I went out this morning with a thin new layer of snow on the ground--it's beautiful before the cars come out. One of the first things I saw on the road was a fox. I often see deer and turkeys, but there is something special, and unnatural, about seeing a fox in a residential area. He had his breakfast in his mouth so I don't think he even saw me. That was the end of the peaceful run though.

Shortly after, I started getting pelted by little ice pellets--with 20+ mph winds, they hurt. After a couple miles it turned to the big, wet snowflakes. Better, but makes it hard to see. Then the cars came by and made tracks to wreck my clean roads.

We had a couple inches of rain yesterday that melted the snow. That made me want to see how Ellicott Creek looked, so I ran by the bottom and then up top before the water crashes over the falls--and today it was crashing...and roaring! It almost makes you dizzy when the water is moving so fast and is directly underneath you--the water was close to the bottom of the bridge. It's very mesmerizing.

Even though it was cold and windy, it was an interesting run. Nothing beats the early morning before the crowds and noise.

Off to my first class of the semester! :-)

The Sun is Shining!

2010-01-23T12:33:00.000-08:00

It's cold, but the sun is shining--for the third day in a row! Too bad I run before the sun comes out :-) It appears I left Arizona at the right time; it's rained since then. The roads are clear and dry, the winds are calm--that's all I can ask for this time of year.

My tests were okay and I got to have the herceptin. My heart efficiency is down, but not too far. Will be on track for at least the next 12 weeks.

School starts Monday. It's busy, but I like when we're in session. It gives the campus a real energy.

We have to get the invitations out this weekend for the fundraiser on February 28. We've started soliciting businesses for basket donations. Hopefully we'll sell all the tickets.

Time to go home

2010-01-19T14:56:00.001-08:00

It's time to head back to Buffalo; the rain outside makes it a little easier. I had 6 wonderful running days out here. To change it up a little, we went to San Diego on Sunday to have lunch with some West Coast siblings. Great fun to eat on the beach, even if it was cool and cloudy. We got to walk around a little before the rain came in--and rain they are expecting this week. I've heard the CA coast and inland are expecting anywhere from 6-20 inches this week.

We stayed in San Diego overnight, and I got to run around UC San Diego Monday morning. What a great campus--and huge. I did a 5 mile loop twice, never leaving the campus. It was drizzly, but that doesn't bother me. The hills were another issue though. I would get really strong if I continued to run out here.

Hope I do get home tonight. I have a full day of treatments tomorrow--better pass my heart test. Am looking forward to starting the new semester, but not to putting the gloves and fleece back on.

Perspective

2010-01-15T08:21:00.000-08:00

It's all in the way you look at it. I ran by a school today that was advertising a Polar Plunge to raise money. Now how polar can 60 degrees be? If people think that is cold, we need to toughen these southwesterners up! They had a real polar plunge in Buffalo last Sunday. The temperature was minus 1 and they had to chop the ice up beforehand so people could actually go into the water.

I finished my run so now I have to figure out what to do outside the rest of the day. It's certainly too nice to stay indoors. It's a tough life out here!

It's a Beautiful Day...

2010-01-14T20:19:00.001-08:00

What a wonderfully sunny 70 degree day! It's amazing what a little Vitamin D can do for you! I got to put in a nice, warm 10 miler today; I was actually overdressed. It is so hard to come inside when the sun is shining so brightly. I ran outside, had lunch outside, took a nice walk, shopped for items for a Southwestern basket to auction off at the comedy club fundraiser. It is just so nice--and tomorrow will be more of the same. I just love it!

It does get dark around 6:00, so I come in and can then get some schoolwork done. I have to get serious about getting ready for the upcoming semester. In the meantime, I will just enjoy the sun on my face.

How Low Can it Go?

2010-01-10T10:22:00.000-08:00

Okay, so it was 0 degrees this morning--but the wind chill was only 8 below. The flags were only gently waving, so the good news was, very little wind again.

We met this morning to plan the Comedy Club fundraiser. Should be a fun evening. I'm nervous about getting 125 people to attend, but hopefully it will work out. We also have to solicit businesses regarding auction baskets. I've got great organizers, so I know it will go well. I just hate asking for money. There is so much more to think about then I would have expected.

Jaded

2010-01-09T05:56:00.001-08:00

There are probably many other words to describe me, but that's the word that came to mind this morning. It was 4 degrees with an inch of snow on the roads, and after a couple minutes of running I told myself--this isn't so bad. I'm freezing when it's 65 degrees in the house! The key today was the lack of wind. It is always tolerable winds are calm.

It still didn't stop me from thinking that in 5 days I will be running the roads of Yuma, AZ. There may be a little sand to make me slip, but it won't be snow and ice. Hopefully my body can tolerate the Vitamin D from the sun--it's been a long time since we've seen it.

On an unrelated topic--I saw Up in the Air last night. It was a good movie; I recommend it.

Dreadmill

2010-01-03T10:03:00.000-08:00

Went 10 miles on the treadmill today--didn't think it would (could) ever happen!

When will it stop snowing?!

Ugh!

2010-01-02T15:05:00.000-08:00

Nothing worse then waking up and finding 8 inches of unplowed snow in the streets--not to mention cold and blowing snow. Ended up cycling 50 miles at the gym instead of running. I need to cross train one or two days a week to give my feet some rest. I just don't like when it's on the weekend--I like running when the traffic is down. We're supposed to get another 6-12 inches tonight, so it looks like treadmill tomorrow. We'll see how long I can manage it.

One thing I've noticed since I've been running is that the roads are no longer plowed in the morning. I'm guessing it is they can't afford the overtime. We never did see a plow today. It used to always be plowed by the time I got up.

This coming week we are going to start full tilt planning the fundraiser at Rob's Comedy Playhouse. We're sending letters to individuals and businesses to have people buy tickets and donate theme baskets or items for the baskets. Hopefully we'll have a great response. So far I have over $1500 on the website. I'm well on the way to reaching the goal.

I'm also planning on finding hot pink technical tee shirts for everyone running with me. Yellow and green are too common; I thought pink would better fit the theme anyway. Hopefully I can find someone to help underwrite them--it can get expensive. So far, I have a niece and nephew, and possibly Bob, running the marathon. Now we need to find some relays. We have 3 people for one. Hoping to get more.

Winter Wonderland

2009-12-29T07:38:00.001-08:00

Winter has surely arrived. Couldn't run yesterday because the plows hadn't come through in the morning, so I wanted to try today. It was the first morning of the year with single digit temperatures and wind chills well below freezing--Arizona in two weeks is looking better and better! I felt like a toddler getting ready to go out--luckily I didn't have to go to the bathroom (like a real toddler) after I was totally dressed. It doesn't feel too bad it you have the right clothes on and some hand warmers in your gloves. I even got to try out my new running shoes--they are gore tex to keep my feet dry and have a lot of extra traction on the bottom to help grip the snow. Looking at them, you'd think they were heavy and feel more like hiking boots, but they felt pretty good wearing them. They go high over the ankle, so I had some chafing. Body Glide will take care of that though.

Off to my herceptin treatment. This should make it the last of 2009--and 4 months down with 8 to go. Billy is home and has offered to come with me, as long as it came with a promise of lunch.

A Merry Christmas

2009-12-26T17:48:00.000-08:00

The Christmas weekend is almost over and a fun--and busy--time was had by all. Billy got home Tuesday night and Lauren and family Wednesday afternoon. It's been a long time since we've had such a full house. Tommy has grown so big--and is so heavy! He is all over the place. He can crawl fast and has discovered stairs. Going up isn't so hard; going down on his own is not pretty. He certainly is cute though!

With all the family activities, we were certainly busy. I did stay constant and got my running in--10 miles each morning. And a good thing too with all the food that has been around. Today was raining and 40 degrees--not a usual late December day. We ended up with a green Christmas. I certainly don't mind--it keeps the roads clear.

Lauren leaves tomorrow morning. It will certainly seem quiet after that. You forget how much work it is to have a 7 month old in the house. Billy is here for another week. We'll get back into our routine tomorrow though.

Semester Ends!

2009-12-21T05:05:00.001-08:00

I can finally breathe! I have posted my grades, so am (almost) officially done for the semester. The last 3 weeks become pretty intense with teaching, grading (and grading and grading and grading), and all the other committee and miscellaneous work of the department. I miss the classes, but it feels good to get everything in. The only structure I make sure I have during this time, other than work, is running. The good thing about going out so early in the morning is that nothing can get scheduled during that time (I doubt anyone else wants 5:00 a.m. meetings!).

Now to focus on Christmas. All the kids will be home by Wednesday night, so we have lots to look forward to. Hopefully Lauren and Andy have been able to dig out of the storm and they can be on their way Wednesday morning. For once it was nice to read about someone else having snow. It looks like we'll have a green Christmas, which is fine with me!

Buffalo Lockjaw

2009-12-11T05:06:00.000-08:00

Not a great book, but a great description of what we all look like when outside in the cold and wind! I decided I'd had enough of the treadmill, so took to the outdoors this morning. I only meant to go 5 miles--it was 16 degrees with 20-30 mph winds and snow covered roads, but once I got out, it was too freeing to stop. If you dress correctly, once your face goes numb the cold isn't too bad. The hardest part is when a gust of wind comes and you are running in place.

These roads are not for amateurs, or anyone with screws and rods in their leg (Bob). You have to be careful about the type of snow you are running on--and a shot of bare pavement does not always mean safety. You also have to take turns very wide. Trust me, I've made all the rookie mistakes--even when not a rookie--and have had the scrapes and bruises to show for it. Luckily, I've never broken any bones, which is more than I can say for others I know.

Hopefully we're at the tail end of the lousy weather and the roads will be clear for the weekend!

Passed the test, but how can you run in this?

2009-12-10T15:59:00.000-08:00

I had a muga scan this week and passed it with flying colors. My heart efficiency popped back to almost pre-herceptin levels. I may not be able to come back to the states from Canada, but I can run to my heart's content again. The problem is, the weather this week hasn't been very kind to my training. Sixty mph winds with driving rain, sleet and then whiteout snow doesn't make it easy. I have gone to the gym and tried to do the treadmill. For whatever reason, I find it excruciating. I did an hour yesterday, but only 35 min. today. Then I have to jump off and head for the bicycle. As long as I can read, I can ride the indoor bike. I just bring my newspaper and ride. Today though, that wasn't even an option. I knew that, unless I wanted to be on the road for hours, I would have to leave for work early--so I cut my workout short.

It's always an adventure in this weather. Yesterday I had class in the basement of our building. Because we had every type of weather imaginable, including lightening, the power went out. It was pitch black and suddenly all these cell phones were opened up. (I never would have thought of that!) The power was out for a half hour, and it was too dark to even move until the emergency lights went on in the hall. Today, all the schools locally were closed for the storm. I worry about my students driving in it. They're not very experienced drivers, and I know how I wouldn't let my own kids take my car in this weather when they were 19-20 years old. Most of them made it to class this morning though; probably because it was the last day of classes.

This and That

2009-12-07T16:54:00.000-08:00

Bob had his second cataract surgery today. He can see distance very clearly, but reading will be a challenge for the next couple weeks until he can get new glasses. He's worn glasses since he was a little kid, so it is new for him. When the kids were little and they'd grab his glasses and pull them off, they'd would run off screaming because daddy disappeared and was replaced by this scary man. Hope they don't all run off crying when they come home for Christmas! :)

Our long run Saturday was through Forest Lawn. We'd gotten a little snow and ice, so it was a a bit of a challenge, but it's probably the last run together for the winter. Bob has a lot of hardware in one leg, so he has to be very careful when it snows. Towards the end of the run, a race through the cemetery started. We got out of the way.

The bad weather is to start this week--45 mph winds and rain, sleet and snow. We've been lucky so far. You knew it couldn't last forever. Last week of classes and we've only had 6 inches of snow until tonight.

Off to the doctor tomorrow for a new muga scan. I hope the results are improved so I can resume treatment. Don't know where we go if it hasn't improved. These treatments are really important in keeping the cancer at bay.

So Over Winter

2009-12-05T03:23:00.000-08:00

Winter has finally arrived in WNY; I am officially ready for spring! We had two snowfalls this week and the temperatures have turned sharply colder. We knew it was coming, but it is still a shock to my system at least. Now the running gets harder--not only cold and wind to deal with, but slippery roads most days. I also have to alter my routes, since the sidewalks are generally covered with snow and ice. In this weather I am usually cold all the time, but somehow I can shut off that part of my brain when I run. I put little heat warmers in my gloves to keep my hands warm and the rest of me seems not to feel the cold so much. As soon as I stop running though, I get very cold again.

One more week of classes to go for this semester so it means only one thing--grading--morning, noon and night. How fast this semester has gone.

Uncovering

2009-12-01T17:24:00.000-08:00

Today was the official unveiling of my head (hair) at school. I wasn't sure the students would recognize me--none of them this semester had seen me without my hat. No one seemed thrown, though several mentioned it.

Hair re-growth is an interesting thing. Last time it grew back, it was pure white and tight, tiny springs (ringlets). It looked much fuller. This time it grew back very straight and baby fine. It reminded me of Billy's short hair when he was about 3 years old. It doesn't fill in nearly as well; I've had to work hard to get it to curl some to give it body. It was a mixture of brown and white though. I'm not sure what accounts for the changes.

First day of December and the first day of snow for the year. There was about 4 inches of wet snow on the ground this morning, so I wimped out and went to the gym where I cycled. I just can't get on the treadmill. I feel the worst day outside is better than the best day inside on a treadmill. Oh well, my body probably needed the break.

post-Thanksgiving

2009-11-30T06:34:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is over and the kids are back where they belong. We had such a nice weekend, but it goes too fast. We didn't even get to see all of the in-town family. Bob and I did skip our long weekend run to have breakfast with Becky, a great friend from middle school, and her husband, David. I could talk for hours about Becky and my relationship. By the time we were 13 she knew more about me then probably anyone except Bob. I did get my run in anyway before meeting up with them.

Had to drive to Cleveland yesterday to take Billy to his ride the rest of the way back to Michigan. At least it gave me a chance to get a lot of work done. Three weeks to go in the semester and a ton of grading to do. When will I learn to assign less? I'm sure the students wouldn't mind! There is just so much they need to know and be able to do; I can't back off.

Bob had cataract surgery today on one eye, with the other next week. Seems like we spend much of our time at doctor's offices! I'm sure we are the insurance company's nightmare. Luckily they have been wonderful about approving all of the procedures.

Now on to the push toward Christmas. It will be hard to get organized until the semester is over--grades are due on December 21. Full speed ahead until then!

Run and Eat

2009-11-27T03:12:00.000-08:00

We had another nice day for Thanksgiving. Perfect for joining about 11,000 friends on a little run. I started with a pre-turkey trot around the neighborhood, then Bob, Billy and I ran the real thing in Buffalo. It has grown into such a huge, must-do event. It's a great way to start the day, and at 50 degrees, it was easy to be out there this year. Too bad Kathy and John missed it. They've done so many, but it's usually cold and rainy or snowy.

Turkey dinner was excellent as usual--my favorite meal of the year. Even though there were only 5 of us, we still managed to eat a lot. The rest of the day was pretty low key. We had family Wii tournaments and then went to see The Blind Side. How many other Michael Ohers are out there who don't get his opportunity? And what happens to them?

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-25T11:35:00.000-08:00

Can't believe tomorrow is Thanksgiving already. We will have a small table this year--only 5 of us. The food will be just as tasty, though we'll miss Lauren and Andy--and Tommy's first Thanksgiving :-(, and Kathy and John and crew. We will try to keep the same traditions.

The longest continuous footrace is the Buffalo Turkey Trot--5 miles down Delaware Ave. This is the 114th running of it, and my 15th straight. I started running when Bob wanted to run the 100th one. I raced last year (2nd in age, just like every race last year), but am just going to have fun and run with Bob and Billy. This is the only day of the year that Billy runs. It's actually more fun running slowly and looking around at all the people in costumes and silly things going on. Lindsay will be on the course with a sign she made, cheering us on. I'll probably do 5 miles around the neighborhood first. As soon as we get home, the turkey goes in and the eating begins.

We have lots to be thankful for this year. It hasn't always been easy, but I try to keep what is important at the forefront and let go of that which isn't. Just try not to waste any of your life complaining or being sad. There are too many good things going on. Everyone is happy and healthy right now, or on the mend (Dad). I have lots of very caring people trying to keep me healthy. We have an adorable grandbaby and one on the way--and I'm sure he/she will be just as adorable (and Lindsay is just as adorable and more helpful than Tommy-okay Lingo?). Two of the kids are self-sufficient and we have a wonderful son-in-law addition. Billy is doing well in school and loving it--just like he should. We are also lucky ,with amazing extended family on both sides. I also feel like a rarity in that I have a great job with wonderful colleagues and students. Plus, lots of people are helping me raise money for Roswell, and for that I'm very grateful. More good things then can ever be stated.

Beautiful Autumn Weekend

2009-11-22T15:28:00.000-08:00

Another beautiful weekend in Buffalo--it almost makes up for the crummy summer--but not really. Too bad the Bills, once again, had to spoil the end of the weekend.

I love the weekend runs when Bob and I go out together. We've explored so many trails and towns that I would never do on my own (partly for safety sake, partly because I'd get hopelessly lost). This weekend's run took us through South Buffalo. I highly recommend running as a way to see the area. It's faster than walking so you can cover a lot more ground, but not too fast that you miss the sights. You just have to be careful, though, not to trip over a bump in the road or sidewalk (I have experience!). Anyway, we started in the industrial area, worked our way through the park and ran through some nice, tidy neighborhoods. The changing (and different from usual) scenery allows me to run without headphones.

Next weekend is not looking so good weather-wise, but we do have the Turkey Trot on Thursday morning. The most enjoyable part is making Billy get up to run and Lindsay getting up to cheer us on.

I spent a couple hours this morning planning for the comedy club fundraiser. Katie is so helpful and brainstorming with Marilyn, who has experience, and Tammy--so smart and clever--will assuredly make the evening a success. I'm really excited about some of the ideas. Hopefully we can get donations for some great baskets. I'm more worried about selling 125 tickets, but they seem to think that will be easy. I trust them!

Generosity

2009-11-20T16:02:00.000-08:00

I am amazed at the generosity of family, good friends, acquaintances, and people I do not yet know. There are people helping with the fundraiser at Rob's Comedy Playhouse--planning and creating theme baskets. Several out of town family and friends have promised to come to the event (as long as the weather holds up). Greek Life on campus helping with my bottle deposit collections. Desiree and Zoe have a lot to do keeping up with school and re-naming/chartering their sorority, but still offering to help me out. Colleagues who have become good friends, neighbors on my street, people I do not know or have met a couple times but who know of me have all been donating money to my Roswell website (http://giving.roswellpark.org/netcommunity/kimtruesdell). I am truly humbled by this support. Running the marathon will be much easier knowing all these people are behind me.

Good luck to dad who had knee replacement surgery yesterday. You have 7 months of rehab. so you will be able to walk around San Diego cheering for all of us running the marathon and/or relays. Maybe you'll feel so good you'll want to join us! :-)

Cancer 101: What Not to Say

2009-11-19T16:51:00.000-08:00

I've been asked why now. After all these years of privacy, why am I going so public. I guess when something is important enough, you set a goal and do what you need to meet the goal. It won't be easy to raise $5000, but with the help of a lot of people, I will be successful.

I think, though, the real question is why I've kept so private. I guess partly it's because I'm a private person. I also wanted to keep a sense of normalcy for my kids, especially when they were younger. My illness didn't need to interfere with their lives. Another reason was to prevent others from being uncomfortable--or making me uncomfortable. I suppose it is difficult to know what to say or what to do for someone who is obviously going through treatment. If one is unsure what to say, I would recommend saying nothing. A simple "how are you doing?" and really meaning it (rather than just as a passing phrase) would be nice. "You look really good," again sincerely, even though we all know I don't. Just treating me like anyone else is the best strategy. If my family didn't continue to make fun of my foibles, I would feel bad.

What not to say? "I can't believe you have the nerve to wear that!" a few days after a mastectomy, while looking disapprovingly at my shirt--trust me, you can't tell. "You're lucky you're still alive. My (fill in the blank with a person) died..." "I'm glad it's you since you handle pain a lot better than me." I really doubt it. "If you die tomorrow, you'll have no regrets." These are all comments I've heard (some more than once) from well-meaning friends.

The best thing someone did was my sister who sent me the ugliest thing she could find every week of my treatments--for 10 months. We really looked forward to Wednesday to see the new "present". My sister-in-law and her three kids were so kind, but treated me absolutely normally--not something you can describe. I think it is just the way they always are. My neighbor who brought dinner for my family on the night, 3 days after each chemo., when she knew that was the night I wouldn't feel up to cooking. Just little words or actions, or nothing at all, is best. Don't try to force anything.

Extreme Makeover and deerfoot

2009-11-15T02:48:00.000-08:00

Bob and I like to run 10 milers on the weekend when the weather is decent. It has been a great way to explore the paths and roads of Western New York. We're always up for suggestions, so if you have a great route, let me know.
We've had a bonus November because it has been so beautiful. Since Extreme Makeover Home Edition is in town, we decided to check out the house on Saturday. The show has had an unprecedented 5000+ volunteers, so they were not only able to build a house for the chosen family, they were also able to side and re-roof most of the houses on the block, fix porches and sidewalks, put in a community garden, etc. We couldn't get right up to the house--it was he morning to "move that bus" and there was still a lot of work going on. It was great to see so many people out so early in the morning though. It did make me sad for the people just outside the block who did not have their homes worked on. Hopefully it will be the start of a revitalization of the community. It' only a couple miles from Buffalo State, so we need that area healthy.
From there though we ran through Forest Lawn Cemetery. I'd always heard it was a great place to run, and it was. Miles of peaceful road with no traffic. This was not a day to run for time (as I'm not allowed to right now), but a day for looking around. There were a lot of people there who lived at the turn of the century (early 1900s) when Buffalo was in its heyday (the most millionaires in the country). I loved visualizing what their lives might have been like. There was an amusement park across the lake in Canada (before Crystal Beach)--you can see the remnants on our run last week. Ferries took people over from the the city. It must have been so vibrant back then.
There are many notable people in Forest Lawn--Millard Fillmore, Red Jacket, Rick James, but my favorite was Deerfoot. He set world records for running for 5 and 10 miles. Naturally I had to look him up when I got home--he's from Calgary, Canada and spent most of his life in jail, but once ran 84 miles in 16 hours. I can see how he got his name.

AJ Collins, marathon buddy

2009-11-14T02:33:00.000-08:00

AJ Collins, my 20 year old nephew, should be receiving his marathon training schedule this weekend. He is a busy college student, but has decided to try to take on this challenge. He's been a lifelong soccer player, but not necessarily a runner, though he did win his age group the one time he entered the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. It's incredibly thoughtful that he would do this as he barely knows me. He's lived 3000 miles away, in Southern California, his entire life. He's now a student at Otis College of Art and Design in LA. I think he wants to be a sculptor. I've seen some of his artwork--it's pretty amazing.
I guess I shouldn't be surprised he would want to try this. He has been active in other ways. AJ has twice donated his hair to Locks of Love. He's also been the captain of his Relay for Life four times through high school and college. That's dedication. Now his biggest challenge might be how to get out of the studio and onto the roads to train. I have a feeling it might be a little easier for a 20 year old to get by on minimal training than someone my age. He also won't have to look out his window in the morning in January and February (and March and April and December!) and decide if he can get through the ice and snow.
Good luck AJ--I know you can do it. (And get moving Kelley, his mom; it's almost time to get started on the 10K relay training.)

Failed test

2009-11-12T16:45:00.000-08:00

I thought I was done worrying about scores on tests long ago, but I only got a 52 on my last one. To prevent recurrance of this latest cancer, I take herceptin as an infusion every three weeks for a year. One of the side effects of the drug is heart damage (mostly temporary). That is the reason for the regular muga scans (and radiation in my body). A muga scan looks at how much blood pumps out of your heart during each heartbeat. Mine has been very high--my heart efficiently pumps the blood out. This last muga scan though showed a drop in the blood pumping, sufficiently so that I could not have the herceptin infusion. It is still in the normal range (though it previously was high), so it's not a worry. I can still run, though can't work on increasing the intensity (speed). Since I've just built up the distance after surgeries and treatment, I'm pretty slow--and I guess that's how I'll stay for now. With this break the heart should go back to its previous functioning. I'll have another scan in a month and then should be able to restart the herceptin.

Radioactive

2009-11-11T17:26:00.001-08:00

It was a beautiful morning today and Bob and I were both off work for Veteran's Day. We decided to go up to Canada and run the trail along the river and lake and then into the woods. We parked by the Peace Bridge and took off--5 miles out and 5 back. There wasn't a crowd at the border, so it seemed we should be through customs in 15 minutes. As soon as we pull up to the agent's booth, he asks "Have either of you had a medical procedure in the last 30 days?" I thought that an odd question. I had to think a minute, then admit I have had ongoing medical procedures. Turns out, I am very radioactive and set off all sorts of alarms. They pulled us over--my first time ever--and made us go inside for further something. I'm still not sure what it all was. They brought out a gieger counter, pointed it at me, and it started going crazy. They then had to find out what my medical procedure was. I told them--I'd had a MUGA scan yesterday--it's a heart test (heart damage is a side effect of another medicine I take to prevent recurrance of the most recent cancer). To do the scan they give me a shot of radioactive material. I'm not sure how much they were able to find out, but it doesn't make me real confident of the HIPPA laws. They also had to take the car through the machine again to make sure there was no other radioactive material. At that point they had our passports and car keys--made me a little nervous--but their punishment was having to go in our car after we'd just run 10 miles! There were smelly towels and clothes in the car. After more then an hour, I guess the customs' officials determined we were not dangerous.

Since I'll be having these scans regularly through next summer, I guess I won't be going back to Canada anytime soon.

The beginning

2009-11-11T17:13:00.000-08:00

I guess this is the start. I have until June 6, 2010 to train for the San Diego Rock and Roll Marathon and to raise $5000 for Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, NY. For background on why I am doing this, check out the following article from the October 31 Buffalo News:
www.buffalonews.com/185/story/845279.html

I have a website set up for donations at
http://giving.roswellpark.org/netcommunity/kimtruesdell

More fun though for all in the Buffalo area--on February 28 I am having a fundraiser at Robs Comedy Club inside Dandelions Restaurant in Williamsville. For $25 you get 2 drinks and an evening of comedy. We'll also have theme baskets to auction.

100% of the money raised will go to the Breast Center at Roswell. I am paying all my race expenses.

I am excited about raising the funds for my oncologist in the breast center. One of the medicines I take is an aromatase inhibitor--it's to prevent one of the cancers from recurring. One side effect of the drugs is severe joint pain. Many women suffer terribly from this. Thankfully, I have had no side effects. Dr. O'Connor has noticed that her patients who are even moderately active have much fewer symptoms. We have agreed that she will use the money I raise to begin a research study on the effects of exercise and side effects of aromatase inhibitors. Since so many people are living after their cancer diagnosis, it is very important to look at quality of life issues. I have been lucky to have very few side effects and aftereffects--I attribute a lot of it to exercise, though I don't advocate most people doing as much as I do!

Anyway, this is the start--and I'm ready to succeed.