Virginia Trip pt. 2

...more pictures!

(Also, don't forget to enter the Livestrong giveaway contest!! Only 3 days left!)

One of the sweetest babies I know...

...until she attacked me!

Harper, wearing her hand-made "H" cape
(...and enjoying a Sam Adams)

Rob and Sarah

Charley and Kat
(Kat's shirt says "Where the Hell is Farmville, VA")

Amberly, me and Charley

Kat, Charley, Amberly w/ Harper, Sarah and me
(I have no idea what I am doing with my legs)

A LIVESTRONG Giveaway!

First, I'd like to thank you all for your prayers and thoughts for my grandmother Mimi. She went in for a second opinion on Monday morning and received a much better diagnosis. She still has to under-go some tests and procedures, but her prognosis is much better. Thank you again for your prayers - they were definitely answered!

Now for a LIVESTRONG fundraising update! I'd love to reach my goal of raising $500 by the end of this month - March 24th to be exact. This will be one month before the Country Music Marathon on April 24th. I've raised $275 so far, so I have only $225 to go. To spice up the fundraising a little but, I'd like to do a giveaway contest here on the blog!

Here are the details: for every $5 you donate, you get one entry for the giveaway.
So, $5 = 1 entry, $10 = 2 entries, $15 = 3 entries, but $20 will earn you 5 entries!

The giveaway package will include:

• Nike LIVESTRONG low-cut dri-fit socks (2 pairs)
  
• Nike LIVESTRONG stretchy headbands (set of 6)
• Nike LIVESTRONG yellow bracelets
• $20 Starbucks gift card
• $50 Omaha Steaks gift card

The package is worth over $100 in retail value, and it could be yours for only $5! The package may seem like a random assortment, but I tried to create something that all of my readers would enjoy. I know I have readers that run, readers that don't run, readers that like coffee, readers that may enjoy a nice steak package, and so on and so forth...so it is kind of a grab bag!

To make your donation, please visit www.livestrong.org/teamls2010/meredithbrooks

The contest will run for one week - from Friday March 5th through Friday March 12th. On Friday I will tally the entries, put them in a hat, and pick a lucky winner! The winner will be notified and announced on the 12th.

Its going to be wild around here over the next few days. I have an 18 mile run tomorrow morning, and then Chad and Emma will be bachelors for the weekend as I am heading to Virginia on Saturday with three friends to visit our friends Rob, Kat and Harper!

Nine Weeks to Go!

This past Thursday, the LIVESTRONG blog featured a few runners who completed the Austin Marathon last weekend as part of Team LIVESTRONG. Here are a few of their comments:

Brother and sister Will and Molly Blake tackled the race together, it being Will’s first (and Molly’s fifth!). Will says, “I decided to run with Team LIVESTRONG and raise funds for them to make the experience that much more meaningful and personal. I have personally been affected by cancer, losing a friend and having a survivor as a friend. It’s a great feeling knowing that you contributed in some way to making the world a better and safer place.”

Sandy George, also completing her first marathon, had this to say: “There were a few 5 a.m. mornings when I woke up and thought, ‘Why am I forcing myself to run 20 miles in the freezing cold rain?’ I have to remember that I am truly lucky to be healthy enough to get up and run. I have been reminded that, ‘I am capable of running this race in honor of those who can’t right now.’”
-excerpt from 2/18/10 post on livestrongblog.org

That's what this is all about - running a race for something more than a PR. I am blessed with the ability to be able to go out and run 26.2 miles...for fun! I think of my little friend Athan, who does not suffer from cancer, but does struggle with physical limitations. A lot of times when I run, I think of him and how he is so much more determined and strong than I will ever be. I can't wait to do fundraising for the organizations here in Kentucky that have helped the Strebeck family, but I am saving that for when I do something in the next few years that is much bigger and better than a marathon!

But right now, I am proud to be raising funds for the Lance Armstrong Foundation and navigating the racing/fundraising waters for the first time. With a check that I received this week, I am now almost half way to my goal of raising $500 by April 24th.

I would love to see more $10, $15, or $20 gifts come in. To me, this is not about a few people making big donations, but rather it's about several people coming together with small donations to make one big impact together. And plus, everyone who donates will get a free LIVESTRONG bracelet. = )

If you are interested in donating, please visit www.livestrong.org/teamls2010/meredithbrooks

Training is going well and I am pumped up for the Country Music Marathon. I've been having a blast with my training, especially my Saturday morning group runs in Wilmore. We were hit by two snow storms earlier this week on Monday and Tuesday, but the rest of the week wasn't too bad. The weather warmed up this weekend and today was a sunny, beautiful 60 degree day. It is supposed to get cold and snowy again this week, but I am grateful for the little glimpse of spring that we got today.

The marathon is in 9 weeks, and I've got a few key training moments coming up in March and early April. On the 5th of March, I'll do 18 miles. I'll have a step-back week on the 14th, and then on the 20th, my long run training will peak at 22 miles. I'll do a half-marathon at marathon pace on the 28th, and then I will do my final 20 miler on April 3rd followed by a three week taper. March will be a busy month!

Here is my training wrap-up for the week:

Mon 2/15
Scheduled rest day

Tues 2/16
45:00 on trainer

Wed 2/17
40:00 on trainer

Thurs 2/18
Distance: 4.61
Time: 41:46
Average Pace: 9:03
Notes: evening run

Fri 2/19
Distance: 5.33
Time: 48:16
Average Pace: 9:03
Notes:

Sat 2/20
Distance: 12.01
Time: 1:57:00
Average Pace: 9:44
Notes: Last 5 miles were super hilly! Great for boosting mental strength. (Thanks for pushing me, Kelly!)

Sun 2/21
Distance: 5.03
Time: 45:35
Average Pace: 9:03*
Notes: Beautiful and warm (45 degrees!) mid-morning recovery run

Weekly mileage total: 26.98 miles
*It looks like 9:03 is my sweet spot! I would love to be able to sustain a 9:30 pace throughout the marathon, so a consistent 9:03 on my shorter runs is encouraging!

One World Against Cancer

Due to some technical difficulties with some photos I want to post, I will have my regularly scheduled Saturday post up tomorrow. But, today I wanted to post this chilling video about the global fight against cancer that was posted on the LIVESTRONG blog today.



Please help LIVESTRONG in the global fight against cancer by making a donation to my Team LIVESTRONG page here.

Team LIVESTRONG 2010

When I saw that LIVESTRONG was going to have a team at the 2010 Country Music Marathon, I immediately knew that I wanted to be a part of it. My sister Megan has been a huge Lance Armstrong fan for years, and I remember watching the Tour de France with her in 2003 and being absolutely amazed by Lance's story. I knew he was an incredible cyclist, but I didn't know about his passion for fighting cancer. After reading two of his books, It's Not About the Bike and Every Second Counts, I able to wrap my mind around the steeps odds that Lance overcame with his diagnosis, and why he has made LIVESTRONG his life's work.

You may be asking "well, what exactly is LIVESTRONG?"

"LIVESTRONG unites people through programs and experiences to empower cancer survivors to live life on their own terms and to raise awareness and funds for the fight against cancer. LIVESTRONG focuses on cancer prevention, access to screening and care, research and quality of life for cancer survivors. Founded in 1997 by cancer survivor and champion cyclist Lance Armstrong, our organization has raised more than $285 million for the fight against cancer." -taken from www.livestrong.org

I was lucky enough to be selected as a member of Team LIVESTRONG for the 2010 Country Music Marathon. I have committed to raising $500 for this great organization, and I hope that you will help me. I am asking for 26 donations of $20, which will equal a donation for each mile of the marathon.

As I am running the marathon on April 24th, I know that my training should be enough to carry me physically through each mile. But, I want this marathon to be about more than just finishing a 26.2 mile run. I want to run 26.2 miles to honor and support those who have recently been diagnosed with cancer, those who are currently fighting cancer, those who have survived cancer and those who have succumbed to cancer.

My family and I are incredibly fortunate in that we have only had two family members who have fought with cancer. My father-in-law is a skin cancer survivor, and my Grandma Jo was a breast cancer survivor. But, I know that cancer is a far-reaching disease that strikes at will, not caring who it ensnares next. Since 2006, LIVESTRONG has raised more than 10 million dollars through their marathon fund raising program.

If you would like to make a donation (any amount is greatly appreciated), please click here:
www.livestrong.org/teamls2010/meredithbrooks.

Let's help LIVESTRONG raise $500 more as they work to empower survivors further cancer research!