New Season/New School

So a few weeks ago Sierra tried out for the city league softball teams and tonight was their first practice. She did pretty good actually. She played all of outfield, as well as first and second base. She worked with the pitching coach and seemed to enjoy that as well. But to be honest I think the girl belongs in the outfield, either center or left she has one heck of an arm on her. She didn't do to bad at the bat either, but I think we will be going to the cages a few times a week so she is a more consistent switch hitter. Sierra bunts the ball really well as a righty but can't bunt as a lefty and can smack the heck out of the ball as a lefty but can't do it as a righty. I want her to be able to be able to both. I guess that comes from me wanting her to a versatile player since I played baseball for so long. Anyway it was great to meet the coaches and a few of the other parents. It will be a short season just 8 games but it will prepare her for the spring tryouts for the school come February.

Also this week Sierra started at Cary High, she is now a Freshman. I can't believe my little girl is in High School. She has grown up so quickly it makes me happy yet sad at the same time. She is such an amazing young lady now. She has figured out what she wants to do and has set her goals and has organized things in such a way that she will be able to attain those goals. I am so very proud of her. I know that the next four years of her life are going to be great ones for her. I know she will have trials but I think I have done a good job as a parent to help her stay on the right track and make the right choices. I am looking forward to watching her grow even more over the next four years..

Recommitted to Nike Women's Marathon

OK well just when I was about to give up and not recommit to the Nike Women's Marathon because I didn't think I would get any donations other than what Katie and I had done from a yard sale and selling a Vera Bradley Bag some friends of mine have donated and given me hope. So yes I have turned in my forms and recommitted. Call me crazy since I don't even have half of the money raised yet and all of it needs to be turned in 7 weeks but I think with the help of my amazing friends and more fundraising I think I can reach the goal of $3,900 and help make a difference and hopefully one day we will live in a world that is cancer free.

Update

So far this month I have ran/walked 94 miles. I am pleased with all the miles I have put in so far. I went to the doctor yesterday to have my ankle looked at since I am having so much pain in it after I run. Come to find out after the x-rays the screws are coming out of the plates so we came to the conclusion that I will need to have the surgery to replace both the plates and screws. Now I am not doing it until after the Nike Women's Marathon so the compromise is that I take it easy when I run, don't push myself and when I feel the pain I MUST stop. I may not do all the miles each week according to the training log by Team in Training but I will still train, I know I am not running in the marathon to be first I am running for those who can't and to raise awareness to a very serious illness so even if I finish 20,000th I will be happy..

Lake Pine

8 miles = 4 laps around the lake. I enjoyed my walk/slow jog this evening. My foot is on ice as I type this. It doesn't hurt as much as it did on Saturday but it is just as swollen. I can handle it being swollen I can't handle the pain that goes along with it though so it was nice to finish the walk/slow jog without the pain this time. I am going to see my Dr. tomorrow so he can take some x-rays and tell me if the screws are coming out further and causing my issues. I really enjoy running at Lake Pine, it is such a peaceful place to train, I wished we would train there on a Saturday as a team. I fell in love with the trail before I even joined Team in Training and started training for the Nike Women's Marathon.

6 miles @ Shelly Lake

Six miles may not sound like a lot of miles to run or even walk but let me just tell you it IS!! I did it on three hours of sleep. I was tired from lack of sleep the night before I just couldn't fall asleep.. When we arrived at Shelly Lake the coaches were still talking so I was happy that they hadn't started on the trail without us. We kind of got lost trying to find this place, it didn't help that Raleigh has more than one Millbrooke St. Anyway we all started out walking the trail then the faster runners took off and since I am not one of them I stay to the back of the group. I ran for about two miles, feeling pretty good, not winded at all, pace was good. My ankle on the other hand still hates that I run.. It was swollen I had to stop and loosen my laces a bit and hope that it would not get much bigger since my toes were starting to tingle as well. I still had 4 miles to go and I really wanted to finish. I walked to the halfway point got some water, rested for a minute then started to run again, can I just tell you what a complete idiot I am. I don't listen to my body, I should have just walked the rest of the way back but I didn't want to be the last one out on the trail so I ran. Also I knew my friend Katie would be back and waiting for me and I didn't want to keep her any longer than I already had so I pushed myself. I finished the six miles and I felt good except my ankle. My ankle was so swollen it was the same size as my calf, no joke. I had blisters on both feet. I wasn't winded or anything and I wasn't sore so I shouldn't complain really but this ankle really will be the death of me I think... When I got home I iced it and kept it up for a while the swelling has gone done some and I am walking slowly and not putting much pressure on my foot, not sure what this weeks training will hold for me...