There's No Place Like Home for the Holidays

I've made it back to Minnesota for a relaxing week with the family to celebrate Christmas!  It is one of my favorite times of year, not because of the presents, but all the love that goes around (picture the airport scene in the movie Love Actually). It is a time for multiple family gatherings of celebration, remembering our loved ones that have passed and teaching the young ones the magic of Christmas.  To me the greatest gift is being able to be home to hug my family. 

The holidays do bring an interesting challenge to marathon training- it is very hard to keep up with in between family gatherings, snow storms and another glass of that special egg nog!  I was able to step outside yesterday and hop on one of my favorite running routes as a light snow dusted the ground.  

The run was along the Mississippi in St. Paul.  I ran the farthest distance I have been able to since surgery without stopping to rest which was a big milestone for me.  I was taken back to the days when I first fell in love with this distance running as this was the course where I ran my first 10k and first half marathon.  I envisioned my family along the course cheering me on just as they were 6 years ago.  The crisp (others may say frigid...) air was refreshing as I reflected back on how far I've come with running since then.  The thoughts of all the people who I am running for in this upcoming Boston Marathon were on my mind as well- it truly puts your life into perspective and makes you value the little things more than ever before.  I hope to have many more runs like this during my time home that take me back to those special memories.  

I'll can't say enough how much running with the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge team has changed my life and my running for the better.  It makes running seem more purposeful and life changing knowing that every step you take both running and in fundraising makes a huge impact on someone battling cancer.  It truly is a challenge in multiple ways, but the rewards are priceless when it helps bring us closer to a cure for cancer by funding those incredible, hard-working researchers!

Click here to donate to the DFMC.

I hope you all have a safe and happy holiday and are able to spend time with the ones you love!

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

-S

Thankful

I've been taking this time before Thanksgiving arrives to sit back and reflect on the things I am thankful for.  Sure, I can list all the things I am sure most of us are thankful for: family, friends, health, pets, etc.  I would like to expand beyond this and say I am very thankful for researchers and medical staff like the ones at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.  Without people like them doing what they've been doing through the years, my parents may not have been as fortunate to have the success stories they are now able to share.  There are also so many other people who are fortunate enough to be able to say "I am a survivor".  To see how far research has come over the years to improve cancer treatments and bring us closer to a cure brings joy to my heart.  I know far too many people affected either directly or indirectly by cancer and I wish for them all to be able to have these success stories.  While research has a long way to go, we have made such great strides over the years that I feel extremely optimistic about the future.

Show your thanks to these ambitious, driven and hard-working researchers by making a donation today by clicking here to go to my fundraising page through the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge.  Every single penny you donate goes directly towards funding innovative cancer research.  Please consider a donation- every single donation, no matter the amount brings us one step closer to a cure.  

Another thing I have been thankful for over the last couple weeks is the ability to be back to running.  I have finally been able to run without discomfort from surgery and have been slowly building up my miles!  It feels wonderful to be back at it, although I have a lot of work to do to get back into full training mode by December.  I am so blessed to be healthy enough to be able to run as I desire, something that brings great exhilaration to my life.  Running for the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge has brought a whole new meaning to my passion for racing.  Knowing that the effort put in through fundraising and training makes a tremendous difference in the lives of others is truly rewarding.  I cannot wait to see what this 2014 DFMC season brings!

I'll leave you with a few pictures from the last couple of weeks...

 I am so lucky to have this beautiful reservoir to run around right by my apartment!

 I couldn't resist stopping for pictures on this run

Onyx is still celebrating the Red Sox championship ;)

I hope you all have a safe and enjoyable weekend as the brisk fall weather has arrived!  

-S

Ready for April 21, 2014!

I am pleased to announce that the 2014 season of the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge has begun.  I am thrilled to be back running for such an amazing organization.  This year will be very special to all of us in many ways.  I look forward to being able to finish my journey I began last season with my thoughts and prayers going out to those affected by April's tragic events and those who have battled or are currently battling cancer.

For those who haven't checked out my blog before, the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge raises money to support innovative cancer research at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.  Every penny of your donation goes directly to the cause- how awesome is that!?  Last season, our marathon team raised 4.74 million dollars to directly fund research at DFCI.  We couldn't have done this without the help of all of you, our wonderful supporters!  Thank you!

The link to my 2014 fundraising page is:  www.runDFMC.org/2014/sarah 

Please share this with your family and friends while we work together to bring us closer to a cure!

Onto personal updates...

I am recovering well from my surgery- it is hard to believe nearly a month has passed by already!  I attempted to go for my first run yesterday of about 2 miles.  It was a slow going and I had some soreness afterwards, but I know I will get back into my training one step at a time.  

Last weekend was the Maine Marathon that I had been training to run, but due to surgery was unable to.  However, Onyx and I enjoyed a relaxing weekend in York checking out the beach and some views from the Mount Agamenticus summit.

I look forward to sharing my journey with you as I make my way to the Boston Marathon on April 21, 2014!  Please consider making a donation to support this wonderful cause- every donation truly does make a difference!  

Hope everyone had a great weekend! :)

-S

An Eventful Week: DFMC Check Presentation and Surgery

Monday evening was  the DFMC check presentation for the 2013 team.  It was a wonderful event and it was so rewarding to see the final result of all our hard work throughout the season!  We couldn't have done it without the help of all of you- thank you!

Unveiling of the check...

4.74 million dollars were raised by DFMC to help fund cancer research!

While we took time to reflect on the tragic events that occurred on April 15, we also took time to reflect on and celebrate the positives, such as the difference this money will make in helping make strides with cancer treatments/cures.  It was great to see some faces I hadn't seen since Marathon Monday and catch up with them.  It is such an honor to run with the Dana-Farber organization and I cannot wait to begin training/fundraising for the upcoming season!  I have been officially accepted back to the DFMC 2014 and will be returning to Hopkinton on April 21, 2014 to once again run the Boston Marathon.  I could not be more excited!

Unfortunately while I was at the check presentation banquet, I began to not feel well and knew something was wrong.  I wound up sweaty and lightheaded in the middle of the banquet and had to step out for a minute to sit down.  I made it home that evening, but spent the entire night up with abdominal pain and general discomfort.  I went into MGH urgent care on Tuesday morning and was quickly admitted to the emergency department for observation.  After multiple scans and tests, I was found to have appendicitis, luckily catching it before it ruptured.  I went into surgery in the early hours of the morning Wednesday.  All went as smoothly as possible during surgery which was great.  I had many wonderful guests while I was in the hospital.  I was able to go home Wednesday evening as I had my friend Amy with me during surgery who was available to stay over night and help me out the following day as well.

Beautiful flowers and chocolate from my coworkers

Onyx thinks she is a nurse...

But she fell asleep on the job.

A surprise delivery midday Thursday from another good friend

I am so blessed to have such amazing people in my lives.  My friend Tarryn stayed with my last night and my cousin Lena is coming in from NYC to spend the weekend with me.  Hopefully the recovery process continues to go quickly and smoothly!  Thank you all who have sent kind messages, etc.- they have all brightened the past few days up for me!

I have been a little bummed out because this surgery means I won't be able to run the upcoming Maine Marathon on October 6 that I had been training for.  I am not sure how long I will be out of running, but I'm sure I'll get all of that information at my follow up on the 30th.

Thank you all again for your generous donations to the 2013 DFMC!  It is greatly appreciated!  I look forward to passing the amount raised this year in 2014!

Hope everyone is well!  Have a wonderful weekend :)

-S

Boston Triathlon

I signed up almost two weeks ago to compete in my first triathlon.  Without swimming more than twice prior to the race, I think it went pretty well yesterday!

A group of my friends/coworkers were all competing- for 3 of us it was our first triathlon and had signed up last minute, so we were a little nervous.  When we arrived to the race, it was a bit overwhelming.  There were a lot of fancy bikes and people with other high end tri gear who had clearly done this many times before.  My friend, Allison (who wrote earlier in this blog) sent me a picture the night before of how I should set my transition area up which was helpful.

my transition station

Once we were all set up, we wandered down to the beach to take a look at the swim course- the part I was dreading the most.  It didn't look so far from the beach, which helped ease my nerves a bit.  

I couldn't wait to get through this first finish line because it meant the hardest part was over for me.  We met about 10 minutes before the first wave was set to start for a pre race meeting where they went over all the rules and details of the course-  I have to admit that it went in one ear and out the other as I was getting anxious.  My friends and I were all set to go in different waves.  Since I had signed up for the beginner women's swim wave, I was the last wave of the race and didn't actually start until close to an hour after the first wave.  The other women in my wave were very friendly and all encouraging each other as many of us were first timers.  Before I knew it, we had the go ahead and it was a sprint start on the beach into the water.  The first leg of the swim seemed to fly by as I was more focused on getting some space to swim.  Once I reached the first turn buoy, the field had spread out.  I swam a mixture of every stroke (freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, sidestroke), switching as I'd fatigue with each one while trying to save my legs as much as possible.  I had never swam a half mile straight through in my life until yesterday, so I was pretty proud of myself (and relieved) when I made it back to the beach!

My transition went smoothly and I didn't get stuck in my wetsuit, so I was off on my bike in a matter of minutes.  It felt good to be moving a bit faster and actually be passing people to make up for the time I lost swimming.  When I got to the running portion, it took a mile for my legs to feel somewhat normal again after all the swimming and biking.  I felt like I was trying to run on legs made of jello, which made me doubt how the rest of the run was going to go.  Everyone on the course was cheering each other on and high fiving as we passed each other on the out and back course.  It was a beautiful course for biking/running that ran along the water in South Boston.  It was great to hear my friends who were already done cheering me on at the finish line as I finally made it in!  Instead of medals, they gave everyone a Boston Triathlon pint glass, which is a great addition to my collection (and much more useful than a medal).  All in all, it was a great experience and I will definitely be doing another triathlon in the future!

view of the finish line the day before at the race expo

"a wicked good race...an even better party"

the gang after finishing the race

Later that day I hosted a few good friends over at my place for dinner to relax after the race and catch up.  One of them brought this adorable (and delicious!) cake. 

I'm so fortunate to have an amazing group of friends to support me and cheer me on through all these races!  Next up is the Maine Marathon in Portland October 6- I can't wait!  I will also be signing up for the Boston Marathon again at the end of this month and will be rejoining the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge team- I hope you all continue to follow me on this journey as I raise money for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to bring us closer to a cure. :)

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!

-S

Back to Training

Time definitely goes by much too quickly in the summer and I realized I had not updated this for a while.  I got back into running after recovering from my hip injury about a month ago and so far it has been going well!  I am signed up to run the Maine Marathon on October 6 and am looking forward to it.  

I also just signed up for my first triathlon on Tuesday with a few good friends.  It is just a week and a half away, so I have not done any swim training which makes me a little nervous!  Luckily, I have been biking and running on a regular basis, so it should be a fun race once I get past the half mile swim.  I will definitely post an update after!

With the heat the last couple weeks, most of my runs have been early morning runs.  The view below definitely works as a good motivator to get out and get moving!

Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying this beautiful summer!  Stay cool :)

-S

Boston Strong

As I sat down wondering how to begin writing about my thoughts and feelings surrounding this tragic event, I found myself reading through my previous posts and remembering all of the positives.  A little over a week before the marathon I posted, “As the race gets closer, I find myself getting more and more emotional about it.  9 days to go and just the thought of crossing that finish line brings a few tears to my eyes.  I have run other marathons, but this one proves to be the most meaningful.  Embarking on this journey, I never imagined the emotional impact this would have on me.”  As I reread this Monday night it brought the tears flowing all over again.  I never would have imagined the emotional impact this race would have on me.  Within 24 hours, I experienced about every emotion imaginable.

The Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge had a pasta party for all 550 DFMC runners and their friends/family on Sunday afternoon.  It was a celebration of all of our accomplishments from raising over $4 million as a team to directly fund innovative cancer research and all of the hard work and training we had put in for this race.  While they were right about not remembering all of the exact words that were said by our different speakers, I do remember this statement “You will not remember everything we have said here today, but you will remember how it made you feel.”  At that moment, I was happy, excited, nervous and trying to put it together in my head that “You are running THE Boston Marathon tomorrow”.  I was already planning out my fundraising for the next Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge and more ready than ever before to cross that starting line at 10:40 Monday morning.

The patient partners with their runners at the DFMC Pasta Party

Getting ready to cross the finish line Sunday evening

With a friend from MN who was also running

Finish line

Running for my mom and dad- both cancer survivors 

Monday I rose before the break of dawn to head into downtown to catch the shuttles to Hopkinton with my Dana-Farber teammates.  It was a little unnerving as the bus took a while to drive out to Hopkinton- no matter how many marathons I’ve run that shuttle ride always makes me question how far I am about to run.  In Hopkinton, I was able to meet and bond with many more of my Dana-Farber teammates as we all prepared for the final leg of our journey.  

Arriving in Hopkinton

With DFMC training coach Jack Fultz

With teammate Cary

Ready to run

With teammate Brooke at the start

We were not lined up at the starting line for long before they had us on our way from Hopkinton to Boston.  Immediately from the start there were crowds of people cheering us on.  The first part of the race is mostly downhill, so naturally I took off a bit fast between the downhill terrain and excitement of running the Boston Marathon.  I glanced at my watch after the 10k mark and realized I was flying, but I felt great and kept on pushing.  Between the “Go Sarah!” and “Thanks Dana-Farber!” yells from people I had never met in my life, it was impossible to slow down.  The energy on this course is unlike any I have ever experienced.  The “screech tunnel” at Wellesley certainly lives up to its name.

A little over halfway through, a hip injury I had been battling started to flare up as I had feared it would.  I continued on, but my pace slowed significantly.  I remember seeing the arch that stated, “the Heartbreak is Over!” at the top of heartbreak hill, little did I know that the heartbreak was far from over and everything was about to change very soon.

I ran into my friend, Leah, right around mile 25 who told me what had happened at the finish.  I didn’t process a thing she had said and kept on running with the other runners- when you reach mile 25 of the marathon, you aren’t really processing much of anything other than crossing that finish line.  I was stopped shortly after mile 25 and at the time was told that there was another package that was a suspected bomb being inspected about 50 feet in front of us.  All of us runners were in shock at the time- none of us would have ever imagined having to process the thought of bombs at the finish line and a potential threat right in front of us.  I froze…do I go around the barricade and try to get to the finish to help out?  Do I stay nearby because if that is a bomb and it goes off they will need my first responder skills?  Or do I turn around and walk towards an area that is hopefully safer?  Some ran around the barricade, others dropped to the ground and started crying and many, like me, stood frozen unsure of what was really happening.  I pulled my phone out and saw message after message pouring in….I turned around and started walking away from it all in shock. 

It took quite a bit of time, but I was finally able to reach my parents and some friends to get the word out that I was alright.  It wasn’t until I heard the fear in my parents’ voices that I realized how severe what had happened was.  Fortunately, my friend Jenna was able to get through to me.  She and her boyfriend were able to get where I was by car and drive me home.  

I didn’t look at the news because I was not ready to see what exactly had happened until after I had showered and we got to the restaurant we had all planned to meet at for dinner prior to the race.  All the TV’s were on the finish line, showing over and over again the horror of what had happened.  I was so relieved all of my friends were safe and I had never been so thankful that my legs hurt as bad as they did because it meant they were there.  Monday night, it didn’t seem real…I felt numb.  How could something like this happen?

Tuesday, I went to catch the train to retrieve my finish line bag with my belongings.  The station was completely silent except for the footsteps of the National Guardsmen pacing the platform.  As I sat waiting for the train, all I could do was cry.  I got off at Arlington station to walk to where I was supposed to retrieve my bag.  Police and their K-9 units along with the Nation Guardsmen stood as a pack keeping an eye out in the station.  Once I got to the street, I saw there were already flowers and memorials along the barricades on Boylston- the city truly had pulled together.  I stared down Boylston towards the finish line in disbelief.  Finally, I made it to where all of the bags were.  Runners were exiting the building- most with tears in their eyes.  The volunteers insisted on me receiving a medal (I told them I hadn't finished and shouldn't receive it) reassuring me that I would have finished and had earned it.  The B.A.A. volunteers were absolutely amazing and did an excellent job at handling the situation at hand.

Receiving my medal

The volunteers were beyond amazing

After the photographer insisted I smile with my medal

My deepest sympathies go out to those who lost their lives or were wounded throughout this horribly tragic event, as well as their loved ones.  It still does not seem real and deeply saddens me that so many have this long road of recovery ahead of them.  I have no doubt that they will persevere and make excellent recoveries.  The days and weeks following this event have proven to be difficult as a wide array of emotions continue to follow these events.

All in one day, I experienced some of the best moments of my life and some of the worst.  It is a lot to process, but I know I will be okay and get through this.  We as a city will all get through this- we are all Boston Strong. I plan on being back next year, running faster than before, raising more money for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and crossing that finish line stronger than ever.  

The Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge team and staff have pulled together in an amazing way over these last couple weeks and I have made lifelong friends through all of these experiences.  It is a true blessing to be a part of such a great organization.  They have provided us with many resources to help us all cope with this tragedy.  Fortunately, all of our runners are healthy and in good shape, however some family members of a teammate are not as fortunate.  My thoughts and prayers are with those injured and their families every single day.

While I did not cross the finish line, I am proud to say that you helped me raise $5,500 for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.  While these tragic events may have occurred, there are still positive thoughts to think about- the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge team brought in over $4 million to directly fund innovative cancer research and donations are still coming in!

The sign I intended to hold up at the finish line for all of my supporters

I feel as though all of these words can’t even begin to describe all the emotions/events of the last couple weeks, but I wanted to share some of it with all of you.  I can’t say thank you enough to all who have supported me throughout this entire journey and have kept Boston in your thoughts and prayers.

Stay Boston Strong.

-S

Final Race Preparation

In the last week, we have raised nearly $1,000 for the cause bringing the total up to $4,700 to benefit the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute...wow!  I am amazed to the point of tears by the generosity of all of you to donate to such a fabulous cause and help bring us closer to a cure!  Thank you all!!  

With the race being just 2 days away, the final race preparation has begun.  Yesterday I picked up my bib number and wandered around the race expo.  The excitement has begun in the city as runners from all over the world arrive.  With all the nerves/excitement built up about the race, it makes me want to go for a run to calm down, but my training plan has the final two days as rest days and I need to save  my legs for Monday!  Tomorrow, the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge team has a pasta dinner together which will be a wonderful event reminding us all why we are running on Monday along with some team motivation.  I will also be taking the next two days to mentally prepare myself for Monday and reflect on the stories that have been shared with me that have inspired me to fundraise/train even harder for this cause. 

"That's the thing about running:  your greatest runs are rarely measured by racing success.  They are moments in time when running allows you to see how wonderful your life is."

-Kara Goucher (one of the elite American runners who will be racing on Monday)

She couldn't have said it better.  My last few long training runs have brought tears to my eyes as I realize how blessed I am to have the support of all of you and how passionate the people in my life are about making the world a better place.  It saddens me that so many people in my life have been affected by cancer in a negative way, but I have great hope for the future as medical advances continue that more of these stories will become positive ones.

For those who still wish to contribute, simply click here to be taken directly to my fundraising page.  The donation process does not take long at all. :)

I don't think I can thank all of you enough for the difference you have made in benefiting the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to directly fund innovative cancer research!

-S

Heartbreak Hill

For weeks people have been asking me if I am ready for the marathon and the infamous Heartbreak Hill- today I finally feel like I can answer this question confidently with a yes.  Yesterday marked my last long training run and I decided it was finally time to see what the hype about Heartbreak Hill was all about.  I ran out on the marathon course down Heartbreak Hill and the other Newton rolling hills realizing I was clearly descending most of the way and would have to turn around to ascend to get myself back home.  On the return trip I reached Heartbreak Hill at about mile 10 and found myself wondering if that was really the dreaded hill because quite frankly it didn't seem so bad.  Perhaps its because I spent most of the last few years running the hills of Tennessee- running up the dreaded Demonbreun hill frequently with my fellow Nashville runners, as well as trail running at the Warner Parks in which "hilly" is an understatement.  While I may feel differently about Heartbreak Hill when I reach it at mile 20 a week from Monday, I am feeling confident that there will be no heartbreak for me at that point in the race.  People tell me the rolling hills of the Boston Marathon are tough- I ask if they have run the hills of Tennessee recently...

As the race gets closer, I find myself getting more and more emotional about it.  9 days to go and just the thought of crossing that finish line brings a few tears to my eyes.  I have run other marathons, but this one proves to be the most meaningful.  Embarking on this journey, I never imagined the emotional impact this would have on me.  I have had many people share their stories with me and witnessed others fighting their own battles with cancer- it has brought on the urge to raise even more money so that we can see more success stories for those battling cancer.  The thoughts of all of your loved ones stories help me through when the going gets tough with long training runs and remind me why I am out pounding the pavement.  The temporary struggle and pain I battle with during a run is nothing compared to the battle others are fighting with cancer- this pushes me harder than ever before.  I hope that with my training and fundraising, I can ease the difficulty of the battles people fight with cancer every day as a part of a team much larger than just myself.  The $3,700 you have all helped me raise so far to benefit innovative cancer research is remarkable.  While it may seem like a small drop in the bucket, it is the collaborative effort of something much greater than that.  Since 1990, the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge team has raised more than $56 million to directly fund the Barr Program.  Our team as a whole this year has a fundraising goal of $4.6 million.  Every single donation makes a difference in taking strides to a world without cancer.

Thank you to all of you who have donated, supported me, run with me and prayed for this cause as race day nears- all of you have made a significant impact!

To those who have not donated yet who would like to, the process is quick and easy!  Simply click here to open my personal fundraising page with Dana-Farber and follow the instructions.  :)

Enjoy the weekend!

-S