Vermont City Marathon Relay Team!

I did it! I finished the race. I crushed my training time and managed to run all 3.4 miles. It was the most amazing experience.

As I started to cross the start line of the race. The music was blaring and the crowds were cheering. I could here the announcer in the background. As I started on with the race my emotions started to get the best of me. It was the feeling of accomplishment. It was only sixteen months ago that I had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. I had beaten cancer, I had raised my daughter and now I was running on a relay team in the Vermont City Marathon. I had accomplished so much. It felt like I had closed a chapter in my life. As I continued running I realized that I need to focus, so I took one deep breathe let it out and started putting one foot in front of the other.

Holly & Gabrielle (before the race)

I took the corner onto Pearl Street and the crowds were still cheering. My friend Holly told me to get moving, and well that’s when it all started to sync in. I was watching the crowds, reading the signs along the way. My speed started to increase. I made it to South Willard Street, I took that corner and my speed continued to move. I was suddenly passing other runners on the course. I was improving my performance as I went up hill. I finally reached the top and made my way down Beech Street. Up next was South Union. At that point the crowds were dying down and I was already past the two mile checkpoint. I plugged in my headphones and let the music blare. I saw two kids on my right with the hands out looking for high-fives. I made my way over to them, there faces lit up as I put out my hand for them. Then I suddenly at the corner of Main Street. I know my husband and daughter were not that much far away. I couldn’t wait to see them in the crowds. I picked up my pace once again. However, I completely forgot that Church Street is up hill. Thank goodness my cheering crowd was at the top of the hill. Seeing them was the motivation I needed to keep my feet moving. I saw them in the distance. I yelled to them and they waved back and cheered. Once I passed them I knew I wasn’t too far from the finish line. I kept running I knew the exchange point for the relay wasn’t too far away. I made my last corner and was coming down Park Street. I could hear someone yelling my name and the next thing I know I see my relay teammate jumping up and down. I hand him the bracelet cheer him on and realize I am done. I had finished the race!

There was nothing more amazing than having my seventeen month old daughter watching me run in a race. I was showing her that we can do whatever we put our minds to. We can be strong and powerful when we want to be. Running has been great for me. It has given me so much. It always amazes me how much we can all accomplish if we just have the confidence to do it.

 

Three More Days!

Only 3 days until the Vermont City Marathon. I am running the first leg of the race which is about 3.5 miles. My training started back in February. I was doing really well up until 2 1/2 weeks ago when my daughter got sick and I couldn’t run. I am bummed because I was doing really well with my times and my body was prepared for it. I ran Monday night 2.11 miles and my time was better than I thought but it was still slow. I managed to get a run in at lunch. It was super hilly and it was a good run rough estimate of 1.8 miles. I have a long walk planned on Friday if the weather lets me. Saturday will be my rest day and Sunday is RACE DAY!

All the training I have done has been outdoors. I don’t have a treadmill and I don’t have a gym pass. I was going to do this with spending the least amount of money possible. I have purchased a new sports bra, new running shoes, new sock and some music for my phone. I’ve run with our dog, our daughter in the jogging stroller, with music and without. I run when I can. I run after work, or on a lunch break or after 8 pm when our daughter has gone to bed. My husband has been amazing with the support but encouraging me and making sure I have time to get out there and run.

I am nervous heading into Sunday. I have never run in a race before and I’ve never watched the marathon. I have no idea what to expect. I am looking forward to the race and I am really looking forward to being done with it too.

I am really happy that my husband and daughter will be there to support me on race day. This means a lot. Especially since the race starts at 7 am and I am running in the first leg. I know accomplishing something like this will be huge to me. This is beyond anything I ever thought I would be doing so I can’t wait to cross that finish line!

When my feet hit the pavement

I never imagined in a million years that I would be so into running. Last night I went out for my first solo run. Neely was exhausted from an earlier play date and my daughter was already asleep. I changed into my running clothes, pulled my hair back, laced up my running shoes and put the headphones in. I stepped outside into the warm air, the music began blaring and my feet started to move along the pavement. As I hit the second turn in my run I realize that my speed is much fast than I had thought. I was planning on running two miles tonight, as I had ran one and half the night before with Neely. I look down at my watch and realize my pace. In my head I am thinking; “this can’t be right!” I am not winded, I don’t have blisters, my shins don’t burn, and I am actually picking up my pace. The music continues to fill my head. I am approaching the one mile mark and realize that I am running my first mile in eight minutes.”That can’t be right?” “When was the last time I ever did that!” As I continue on I start to feel the affects of my eight minute mile, my pace begins to slow down but it isn’t until the last quarter mile. I look down and I am still doing good time. I push myself. “I don’t need to run tomorrow so I can do this!” I hit the entrance to my driveway and I stop my running and begin to walk off the exhaustion. I look down at my watch. I finished my run in nineteen minutes. Not too bad for someone who only started running two and half months ago. I’ve never been so impressed with myself in regards to physical activity. I had no idea how great of shape I’ve gotten myself into. I look forward to my next run in a couple days!

Running … my new passion!

I use to hate running. I never would do it and I had no interest in it. Then one of my friends convinced me that running on a relay team for Vermont City Marathon would be a good idea. Well I can never say no to a challenge (she must know me to well). I’ve started training for it since I am not in any shape for running. I have never run farther than 5 miles, and well that was in high school. So far the longest I’ve run is 3 miles and that was with the stroller. Last night I managed to run a little over 2 miles with Neely. I even had a time of 9 min 40 secs per mile. Not bad in my opinion for someone who doesn’t run. I don’t have a treadmill and I refuse to spend money on this so the only place I can run is outside. I never thought I would say this but I’ve really come to enjoy running. Last night I just ran with Neely even without music. I even ran farther than I had planned and in less time than I thought. I look forward to more running and I hope it starts to get nicer out so I can start running more and more.

So now what?

My scans came back normal which is the best news I could possibly get. They also told me they no longer need to monitor me with chest scans. I will only be monitored via ultrasounds going forward. This is also great news! So you may ask now what?

Well I’ve signed up to run on a relay team for the Burlington Marathon over Memorial Day weekend. I am running 3.4 miles in the first leg. I’ve started training for it. I am on day 5 of training. I run for 30 minutes every other day. I either run with Neely (my dog) or with our jogging stroller with my daughter. The other days I either play ice hockey which I’ve been doing since June or I am lifting. I am determined to continue with getting in great shape. I am doing everything right to achieve this and I can’t wait to see the results!

So I hope you won’t see my future blog posts about my diagnosis. I am sure it will come up in the future as it will always be part of me. I hope this will be a new journey for me going forward with my life.

Neely and I on my first day of training!