Don't say I didn't warn you

If you haven't already heard, my brother-in-law is planning a run, the Run Like An Antelope 5K, in my sister Megan's memory. The race is on October 14, 2012 in Worcester, MA, to benefit metastatic breast cancer research. That's one week after my marathon! The location is Lake Park, near Megan and Rusty's house where they did a lot of their training. Aside from the race, there will be some good tunes, food, and beer. I hope if you're in the area, you can make it. 

Megan at the Smuttynose Half. Beer and running, it doesn't get better. 

I am very excited for this run. Megan, Rusty, and a group of their friends run lots of races together, almost always with beer at the finish line. There aren't too many races in Chicago with beer, she would always tease me and ask "What's the point!?" The group even got matching shirts (I am an honorary member), which we all wore last September at the Worcester Canal Diggers 5K. 

Worcester Canal Diggers 5K 2011: The drinking team with a running problem

So, do you want to join in the fun but maybe aren't a runner? Yet. Running may not be for everyone, but running is for many different types of people. You don't need to be fast. If you have never run and expect to just wake up one day and run a 5K, you might be out of breath really quickly. It takes time to train. Or, you might surprise yourself and be able to do it with no training. Ask Tim how that goes...I'm not sure I would recommend that method! Either way, the race is open to walkers and runners alike, and if you are motivated to train to run the race but are not a runner, I would recommend the Couch to 5K program. 

Couch to 5K is just like what it sounds, it's a 9 week training program that takes you from walking to running a race. The Run Like an Antelope race is 13 weeks, so why am I telling you about this now? Because if you want to do the program you have 1 month to prepare yourself! (Don't worry, I'll remind you later when it's time to start training). Find a nice 3 mile loop you can run on. If you don't enjoy running outside, scope out a gym. I track my runs on Dailymile (you can friend me!), but there are many other apps and run keeper sites where it's easy to map out runs beforehand and keep track of your progress. Most importantly, make sure you have a good pair of shoes. 

Running doesn't require a lot of gear, although it is easy to go overboard and as you have read, I have spent a fair amount of money at my local running store. But all you really need is a t-shirt, workout shorts/pants, socks, and sneakers. And for ladies, a good fitting sports bra. The only area you really need to spend money on is your shoes. Shoes are the single most important thing for running, although most people tend to cheap out or wear a pair of shoes way past their prime. The mileage limits can vary, but our marathon coaches told us that your running shoes should definitely not have a birthday. And chances are if you bought your shoes because they were yellow or on sale at Marshall's, they're not the right kind of shoes. 

If at all possible, the best way to buy running shoes is to go to your local running store, tell them about your fitness goals (walking, running, hiking), have them watch you run, and they will recommend shoes. In Chicago, both Fleet Feet or Running Away Sports fit runners in this manner, I'm sure there are places all over that do it this way. You should also be able to test them out, either on a treadmill or around the block, to make sure they feel comfortable. 

So are you ready to run? Register! 

Motivation

Oh hey there! It's been awhile. Last week was an incredibly hot running week here in Chicago, and I felt like I would have been repeating myself if I told you about the 4 hot, sweaty, muggy, sticky runs that comprised the 22 miles I ran last week. It takes some motivation to go for a run in 100 degree weather and they were all completely disgusting, but looking back I am proud of myself for making it through them. Aside from the hot weather, I also had (non-runner) friends visiting from out of town, a mid-week holiday, and various other things I'd rather do than subject myself to these runs. I was also coming off of an incredibly awesome weekend where Tim asked me to marry him, so it's kind of impossible to top that and get back to the real world! But there were several things that kept me going through last week. 

Last week's training runs

Obviously, the most motivating thing is the marathon itself. I won't make it to or through the marathon without a lot of hard work and I can't afford to skip anything, because you can't cram for a marathon. In fact, when I was just running casually before, I would regularly skip planned runs because it was hot, I was tired, I stayed late at work, etc. It seems the walk home from the train to my house is often the time I convince myself to be lazy or motivated. But now I feel 100% committed to the marathon and the training program, so skipping any run is not an option in my mind. 

Another motivating factor is that running in the heat will better prepare me for...running in the heat. Who knows what the weather will be like during any of my runs and during the race, so I better figure out how my body needs to acclimate now. Also, I'm hoping that running in the summer will make me feel like a rockstar when the temperatures get cooler. I am running at much slower paces than I am used to, but I know that covering the miles is the most important thing, rather than pace. I'm probably always going to wish I was faster, but just completing runs in the heat is an accomplishment in my opinion. But even Monday's run in cooler temperatures felt amazing and partially even FUN because it wasn't sweltering. 

I also have a lot of quiet time on my runs--2 hours on the Lakefront gives you a long time to think. Most of the time I'm content to look out at the scenery, people watch, listen to my own feet and breath, but at some points I need a little something extra. Then I find my brain going rapid fire through a litany of things to motivate and inspire me. My friend Adam showed me his motivating phrase that he keeps as the background on his phone when he runs. I thought of his phrase this weekend, along with a whole list of other motivating things: Tim, my sister, working on not being a chubby bride, the people who have donated so far to my fundraising, the upcoming water fountain, only 4 miles left (when did 4 miles become an "only" distance??), hanging out with my friends later that day at the house we rented, the cold Vitamin Water waiting in the fridge, the fact that in two weeks my Mom would be walking 60 miles so 10 couldn't be THAT hard, a nice breeze, the Gatorade at Diversey (near the end of my run...it was delicious), and hoping for some sprinklers on the last mile from the Lakefront (bless those people who water their lawns). I got through it, thanks in no small part to the many things my brain kept reminding me of to keep me going. 

Each time I finish and make it home, after a bit of hydrating and stretching, I'm amazed that once again, it's not so bad. I can do it. 

What motivates you?

Nice little Saturday

This weekend Tim and I were having our annual Independence Day party and among others, my runner friend Adam was in town to attend. I was scheduled to do 8 miles and considering all the party prep that had to be done, we did the run together from my house on the Lakeshore Path rather than heading to the South Loop to train with my training team. 

Adam just finished his first marathon in Alaska last week, at an awesome time of 3:34 (that's a pace just over 8 min/mile!). I gave ample warning that he would have to slow down to run with me, since I am more of a 11-12 min/mile pace on my long runs. As I've mentioned, I've been frustrated at the amount of walk breaks I've been taking. I know it's okay to take breaks, as it's been pretty hot and they help you go further and gain endurance, but it's disappointing when I know I can do better. On Saturday  Adam and I ran the whole 8 miles+ with no walk breaks at just under a pace of 11 min/mile. We stopped at the water fountains a few times (bless those), but that was it. This was a huge confidence boost for me, this is the longest distance I have run without stopping in over a year. I was gearing up for a long slog of a summer.  

It was also great to hear about Adam's marathon experience as a first timer, he had a lot of great information to share. 

Adam and I post run, ready to party!

And then I got engaged! Tim asked me to marry him at the party, in front of all of our friends. The party was a lot of fun and I'm very excited. It's pretty great to know someone will always be there for me (or with me!) at the finish line. Pretty great Saturday, if you ask me!

My perfect running tank: a love story

When I first started training I went in search of the perfect running tank. Nothing I had really fit the bill, and I needed to make sure my new girls were well supported and I had plenty of pockets for stashing everything I would need on my long runs. I am pretty resistant to hydration belts (although that may change) and all of the pockets in running pants are never large enough for my needs. A girl's gotta be able to stash a fair amount in her pockets! 

I walked into Fleet Feet and ask for some tanks with pockets, and the saleswoman delivered! She must have put about 15 tanks for me to try on in there. I finally came upon these Nike tanks:

My perfect running tank!

I can easily stash/pull stuff out of these pockets, as they have no zippers. They are nice and roomy and I can run with confidence that nothing will fall out. I have been wearing them regularly, but this past weekend I tested it at the Women's 5K, since I was flying solo without my athletic supporter. I needed to stash my keys, license, credit card, CTA card, iPod + headphones, phone, $20 cash, the free granola handed out at the finish, and a partridge in a pear tree. I think I also had a banana in there at one point. Everything was handled pretty well back there, except at the finish sprint I could feel my phone bouncing. 

Look at me go in my Perfect Tank!

I've been told before that I shop like a guy, because when I find something I like I get at least 2 of them in different colors. True to form I picked up the pink (of course!) and highlighter yellow versions. Perfection does come at a price though, these set me back $50 each. But the ability to stash a banana in my back pocket? Priceless. 

Race Report: Chicago Women's Half and 5K

Yesterday was the inaugural running of the Chicago Women's Half Marathon and 5K. Not quite ready for the half marathon, I stuck with the 5K. Our group long run on Saturday was 8 miles and the conditions were less than ideal on Sunday (pretty hot and humid), so I wasn't expecting much more than a nice morning run. 

I went to the race solo--Tim stayed home for this one. He is normally right there with me, but I told him he could stay home (since it was a women's race and all). I also feel kind of bad making him come out for every race, especially if I'm not really pushing myself for a goal or time. The pre-race festivities included massage stations, fancy water, warm-ups, and a variety of vendors. Lots of smiling happy faces, camaraderie, and empowering speech surrounding the race--June 23rd marked the 40th anniversary of the passing of Title IX. The benefiting charities of the race were the American Heart Association and the Go Red for Women campaign. For all the attention breast cancer gets from the world, there are many other issues that women face that cannot be ignored. Heart disease is the number one killer for women over the age of 20, and it is the cause of death for 1 in 3 women. I guess the moral of the story is we all need to be taking better care of ourselves, and I hope that my running in the last couple of years sticks with me for the rest of my life. Sorry Tim, if all goes well you still have many more races to attend in the future! In fact, I signed up for the Chicago Half Marathon in September after the race. I had planned on it, since the timing is excellent preparation for the marathon.

Because of my long run the day before, I did a lot of stretching beforehand. I'm glad I got there early because normally I'm kind of frazzled and sometimes barely make it to the start on time, let alone get good stretching in. After all of my stretching I watched the half marathoners start. I got a little weepy then, watching friends, bridal parties, sisters, mothers, and daughters heading to the start line together. I love running races with my Mom, I am so grateful for the races I got to run with both her and Megan, but I am sad about the fact that I will never get to run a race with Megan again. At just the right time though, the announcer reminded us to be kind to each other and run empowered for all the women who can't run and couldn't in the past, so I made it to the start line and focused on the race ahead of me. 

Mother/daughter team at the race

My goal for the race was to only take 1 walk break at the halfway water stop, as I have been struggling with my pace/walk breaks recently. I succeeded in that--I ran to the turnaround, mixed the water and Gatorade, walked for about a minute, and finished the race. My time was 33:46 (10:53 pace). I've definitely run faster 5Ks, but not after running 8 miles the day before! I'm totally happy with myself, and it was a great day. The race finisher prize was a yoga mat, which is actually the most useful goodie I've ever received, and they did a yoga session after the race. I wish I could have stayed for that, as increase in running and decrease in yoga has made me pretty stiff, but I was pretty beat and just wanted to get home. 

I've done a fair amount of 5Ks and this one was pretty great. Next year, let's hope for the half marathon!

It's getting hot out there

With the official start to summer yesterday, there is no surprise that it's getting super hot outside. Chicago is having its warmest hot spell in 35 years. I don't really know what that means, but if Weatherman Tom Skilling says it, I believe it!

The weather bell downtown at Clark/Monroe. Red = HOT!

Runner's World has a whole slew of articles about running in the heat, including tips from runners and cautionary tales. Most are common sense, including lots of hydration and taking it easy on the pace, but there is a lot of useful information from other runners and experts. Even the articles on hydration are interesting, I always figured it was best to just drink 64 oz of water per day and be done with it, but (TMI!) you can really judge how much water you need by the color of your pee. You're looking for something like a light straw color not dark (underhydrated) or clear (overhydrated). I am very good about drinking water at work, but I'm trying to be better about it when I'm home at night and the weekends.  

Also, according to a lot of the articles it will take about two weeks for me to get used to running in the heat. It also stands to reason that since it's harder to run in the heat, it will be that much easier for me when the fall (and the race) comes around. Provided that it's not too hot on race day (as it has been in the past), I should be much better prepared. That's encouraging. 

While I normally prefer running after work during the week, I might have to start heading out for one of my weekday runs in the morning. I always thought that the noon hour was the hottest, but according to this article, "Although the sun is highest in the sky at noon, the earth's surface heat peaks between 3-5 pm." I can attest, as I was drenched when I got inside from my runs on Monday and Wednesday, even though I got in at 8/9pm. And it's not just the heat, it's the humidity! High humidity alters your internal cooling system (sweat), making it harder to function properly. So it's actually a huge problem if you don't sweat when it's hot out. 

5 am is starting to sound a whole lot better, but let's see if I can get 5am Jocelyn to agree with 5pm Jocelyn. That's always the hard part! Anyone else have any tips for staying cool? 

There and back

Whew, what a week! I ran in 3 states, starting last weekend in Atlanta where I was visiting some of my knitting friends, Marianne and Erin, and then to Las Vegas for a conference. Atlanta was fun. I had a nice run in my friend's neighborhood, except for the damn hills! They may not seem like hills to the natives down there, but to this Chicagoan they were huge. I made it though, even with a bit more walking than I hoped. I'll take it. 

Then off to Vegas. Well....that was an experience. I was staying in Excalibur, which is at the south end of the strip for my conference. I figured instead of just using the gym, I would run on the strip. When else would I get to run on the Las Vegas strip? Let me tell you, it was interesting, starting with walking through the casino and out the door around 5:15am (since it was wicked hot when I was there, highs of 105). At first I felt strange walking through a casino in my workout clothes, but then I walked by a group of people seeing 5am from the other side, dressed in neon and furry go-go boots. I saw lots of characters on the strip: other runners, people stumbling home, women of the night (or dawn, as it was), people giving me the thumbs up, a few hecklers, a "nice booty", a guy tried to run with me (he didn't last long), and someone who should have been in bed yelling "Why are there so many runners?!" It was interesting I tell you! 

View of New York, New York hotel on my run. 

On the con side, if you haven't visited Vegas recently (or ever) there are lots of pedways (escalator/stairs up, bridge across the street, escalator/stairs down) to cross the major streets. I'd say there and back for 3-4 miles I must have come up to 6-8 of these. That kind of put a damper on my pace. The first run, I wasn't really expecting that and I was extremely frustrated. There was NO WAY I was going to run up and down all the stairs, so there was a lot of walking. Also one set of stairs were being cleaned, so I ran through a building and rode an elevator in another spot. Pretty crazy! 

I hated the bridges so much I didn't take a picture, so this pic is from here. 

Despite my grousing, it didn't stop me from running the strip again a few days later. The next time I tried to think of it as an obstacle course, it worked (sort of). Even though they weren't the greatest runs, last week's certainly weren't boring. Because the training schedule is so aggressive (at least for me--I'm not used to running 4x per week), I'm finding it easier to get out and do the runs, moreso than when I was just running casually. I know even if my runs aren't the best, I've got to get out there and do them I'll never make it. I was actually really surprised at myself for waking up at 5am in Las Vegas, of all places, to run.  

And now I'm back to good ol' flat Chicago. We had a group long run last weekend on the lakefront, where I met more of the Bright Pink team, I went for a nice long bikeride yesterday to McCormick Place, and another run today. I'm still trying to find my pace, but at least my only obstacles in the near future are the heat and myself!

Training Week 1

This week marks my first (of 18) weeks of marathon training. I started off my running (or attempted to) with 3 miles at Miller Beach, IN on Sunday, where Tim and I were staying for a little vacation. It was pretty hot and I hadn't hydrated (unless you count whiskey and beer), so it was kind of a slog. Not a good way to start my training, but I figured it could only get better. 

And it has! Yesterday was a good run, we were supposed to do a 3 mile tempo run (where you have a warmup, then 20 minutes of hard running, little cool down). I decided to run around Graceland Cemetery by my house, which has the benefits of being a 2 mile loop (approx 4 half mile segments) with no stop lights. I had trouble keeping up the hard pace for the required 20 minutes, so I kind of went easy for one segment, hard, easy, hard. For the first few hard segments my pace was better than I've ever seen! Hopefully I will get better at those hard segments, but I know it doesn't happen overnight. I also ended up running over 4 miles (whoops), which is further than I have since before my first surgery in February. I'd call that a win. 

I have my first Team Bright Pink group run on Wednesday, and then this weekend I will be out of town (visiting my friend Erin in Atlanta, then off to the NFPA conference in Las Vegas). After this trip I will have trained in 4 states in a week and a half! It's pretty hot in Atlanta and Las Vegas, so I'm not expecting any stellar times, I just want to put my miles in and start getting used to the heat. 

View my Marathon Training map in Google Maps

Aced this one

Today I had my follow up appointment with my plastic surgeon. He is happy with the progress of my thin skin, but it's still not completely healed. He recommended I wear an Ace bandage, because it seems like whatever bras I have been wearing are pressing against the area and creating pressure. So for now, this is my new favorite sports bra:

But more importantly, I can run! I phrased the question in about three different ways just to be sure:

Can I run? Yes. 

Because you know, I signed up for the marathon. No problem. 

So just to be clear, I have zero restrictions on exercise. Correct. 

Zero. He told me to run with the ace bandage, or nothing if I wanted. Imagine that, running with NO sports bra! Again, because the implants are underneath my muscles, they are very well supported already. But I wouldn't want to risk any chafing damage to my skin since I don't have much feeling, so I'll just stick to the Ace bandage until I'm ready to graduate back to my awesome sports bra. Heck I'll wear that thing through the marathon if I have to (I'll replace it once it gets stinky, don't worry). 

In fact, now that I think of it, I don't think he ever explicitly told me last appointment that I couldn't run, just that I couldn't wear a sports bra. At any rate, I wasn't supposed to be running until 6 weeks after my last surgery, which was actually only the day before yesterday. In the meantime, I've become BFFs with the other machines at the gym, including the treadmill, elliptical, and bike. 

Training starts next Tuesday and Tim and I are off to Miller Beach for the weekend. We should be doing a fair amount of walking, but hopefully I can sneak in a quick run! 

Let's try not to do this again

Today is the Soldier Field 10 miler. And I'm not running :( 

My highliter yellow race shirt and bib.

Let's try not to do that again. 

Minor setback

Minor setback in Jocelyn-running-the-marathon-land.

I noticed a red spot under one of my new breasts recently, and I figured it was just my skin healing, no big deal. Then the red spot grew and I could no longer ignore it. On Friday I called my doctor's office, sent them a picture, and the nurse prescribed me with an antibiotic, she thought it was an infection. I was skeptical, because I feel great (although I have no feeling in my breasts, so that's not saying much). On Monday, no improvement, so I called again. Thankfully I was working from home, so I went in to meet with my plastic surgeon. 

Turns out it's not an infection, but it's thin skin. I always knew I needed thicker skin (har har), but this isn't good news. I don't think the temporary sports bras I've been wearing are doing me any favors, so he recommended I switch to a surgical bra, and avoid sleeping on that side (although it's my favorite). Definitely no running until he's okay with it. I told him my plans to run the marathon, and he didn't seem concerned. I'm not sure he realizes how much training is involved! In fact, he spent more time looking at how the other breast looked than the one I was concerned about. 

I can't lie, I'm disappointed. I had planned to run/walk the Soldier Field 10 miler this weekend but I'm sitting that one out. My Mom, some nice folks on Ravelry in the Running with Sharp Objects group (why yes I go to my knitting site to get running advice), and my friend Adam (who's running his first marathon in Hawaii next month) talked me down from the ledge. I'm not going to quit before I even begin, so I'm going to do what I can to get cardio exercise and work my legs without any impact on the new boobs. I have a follow up appointment with the doctor next week, where I will be clear about what exercise I can do. I also meet my training team this week, and the training program begins the first week of June. I'll just be honest with the trainer and ask what I should do. I certainly know I can't do this if I'm not healthy, so that's the first step. 

My support team

Generally when I refer to my support team, it's my Mom, Tim, Aunty Maureen...anyone who sent something, came to visit, or helped when I was recovering from my surgeries. But not this time. This time it's about bras. Supporting my boobs. 

Last weekend I went with my Mom to Fleet Feet in search of The Greatest Sports Bra Ever. I figured not only is it important to have support when you have boobs on the larger size, but doubly if your boobs are new and fake, and triply if you're training for a marathon. Gone are the days where I will be picking sports bras that come in S/M/L at Target for running. I wear those day to day (no real bras for a few more months), and those were borderline okay for me before, but now I want the best support. These puppies have a lot of miles ahead of them, so I gotta take care of them so they're always perky! 

At Fleet Feet they have sports bras in regular band/cup sizes and will actually measure you  like they would at fancy lingerie stores. The girl helping me actually said their new way of measuring wasn't accurate and that I should just use my regular size. Funny thing is, I still don't actually know what bra size I am! They don't really sell bras in 650 or 800 cc, so I just went with what I was before. My real bra fitting will have to wait for another day.

And the award for Greatest Sports Bra Ever is.....the Moving Comfort Fiona Sports bra! 

Happiness in $50 worth of Polyester and Lycra

This is the best sports bra I've ever had. Two boobs up. It is so soft and comfortable. It has a band with hook closures like a real bra, so you don't have to squeeze it over your head. Because I still can't reach my arms all the way up, that vetoes any bra that I have to put on over my head. (If there was a video camera in the dressing room though, I'm sure someone had a good laugh watching me try.) It comes in 7 colors (although Fleet Feet is pretty no nonsense and only had white and black. I got both, naturally). The coverage is great, so the band won't rub up on my incisions. The straps are adjustable with velcro at the front, but they aren't racerback, so they will stick out of any tank top I wear. But I DON'T CARE because the bra is that awesome. I've taken it for a few test drives and it's performing very well! These puppies aren't going anywhere.

I always get a little sad when I see a woman running with not enough support. Seriously ladies, you don't have to live like that! No one's boobs should be hitting them in the face. If you are chesty and run at all, the investment in a great sports bra is totally worth it, your boobs will thank you in 10 years. 

Why I'm not running (yet)

So my last post gave all the reasons I am running the marathon this fall, but the fact is I can't even run yet! I wish I could start my training RIGHT NOW, but I just had surgery and my plastic surgeon would be angry with me. He's the boss so I am listening to him. Below is my boyfriend Tim and I at the Ravenswood Run 5K last Sunday. I'm wearing a shirt, but not a number, because I had to watch on the sidelines. I watched Tim and my friend Adam (visiting from out of town) run the race. It's not quite as fun on the other side, but I did enjoy watching and I have an appreciation for all of the times Tim has met me at the finish line. 

Me, Tim, and Adam at the Ravenswood Run 5K, 04/29/12

Why can't I run? On February 16th I had a prophylactic double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery was on April 18th. (I would like to stress that I'm not sick, this was purely preventative! More on the surgery another time.) The plastic surgeon recommends 6 weeks with no running, lifting, straining, etc, which was not a problem for me after the first surgery, since I could hardly walk up a flight of stairs without getting winded. The mastectomy really took a lot out of me and it took a lot of stretching and walking to get myself back to feeling normal. However, after the reconstruction surgery I actually felt better than when I went in, because in the time between my mastectomy and my reconstruction, I had these tissue expanders which "made room" for my implants, and they were very uncomfortable, to say the least.  You can get an idea of what the TEs are like here. I feel great after this surgery, and I am antsy to get my life back to normal. 

Now I just have to wait for my incisions to heal and the first day I'm allowed to run again is May 30th. I can't wait! The weather is getting nicer, I want to be outside, and I am so jealous every time I see other runners. But for now I am relegated to walking and the elliptical. I can't do yoga yet, I am still nervous about bearing my full weight on my chest muscles. There's plenty of things I can be doing though, especially eating right (carrying around extra weight is never a good thing, and it will help my pace!). There's also the Soldier Field 10 miler that I signed up for on Memorial Day weekend. I signed up when I had no plans of surgery, but I am still planning to do the race, except I'll have to walk it. I have to get my legs used to working hard again and setting aside long periods of time to work out. Walking 10 miles though, I feel like that's going to take forever! 

Thankfully, the Bright Pink training program doesn't start until June 4th, so if all goes well I should be right on schedule. And for now....the dreadmill is my friend. 

Why am I running?

I got back from lunch today with Tim and there was an email in my inbox about running the Chicago Marathon for Team Bright Pink. Almost immediately I thought "Why not?" First reason, the race has been sold out for some time. Also...I have kind of a track record for signing up for races and for some reason not being unable to compete (see Ravenswood Run last Sunday, Soldier Field 10 miler on Memorial Day weekend, and a few other runs thrown in). But this time, here's hoping for something different. 

So really, why? First, I am a runner (I swear!) so it's not that crazy. Not only can I run a mile (like the tagline says), but I can run multiple miles, like 10 even! Well actually, I'm not supposed to be running for another 4 weeks (more on that another time), but to me running a marathon is the ultimate athletic goal. 

Second, I love Bright Pink. It was at Bright Pink that I first heard of Lindsay Avner, the founder of the organization, who had a double mastectomy at 23 after testing positive for the BRCA1 genetic mutation. Hearing her story, well it made my decision seem easier. I myself am a carrier of a BRCA2 mutation and just had a double mastectomy. 

Probably most importantly why I am running is my sister Megan. Megan passed away 9/1/11 from metastatic breast cancer. Megan herself trained for the Chicago Marathon in 2009 as part of her Red Letter Year, but she got hurt and did a half marathon instead. The marathon is 2 days before her birthday. And 1 week before her memorial race. She is so endlessly intertwined in my thoughts of running (she started running 5Ks and it inspired me to start running), the Chicago Marathon, and breast cancer. 

I can't imagine running any other marathon, in any other place, any other time, for any other cause, with any other team. That's why I'm running. Wish me luck!