a Spring update (:

Happy Spring everybody! I celebrated last Saturday by doing my longest run yet... 100 minutes! That includes getting lost on a side street and in a nature preserve by the Santa Barbara coast - I love to keep things exciting!

It was a super tough run. During finals week I was too busy frantically studying to train very much, so my body was not too happy with me when I started moving. But I survived! Even when the first long leg of it was up a hill. After the run was over a few of us decided to go ice our muscles the old fashion way - by running into the ocean at 8:45 in the morning! We stood in there with the water up to our waists for about 8 minutes until our legs were numb. Silly us we didn't think about how the numbness might affect us getting out of the water... Even though Rachel and I were holding on to each other we were slipping all over the rocks and she managed to fall in. We were wet messes when we got out - completely drenched, and for some reason I had sand all over me. Top that off with my first ever breakfast burrito (brilliant! and delicious!) and you have quite an eventful Saturday morning. (:

Proof that we're crazy!

And a HUGE thank you to the wonderful folks who I received donations from this week!
Gramma and Grandpa
Maggie and Bruce Nemirow
Deborah Walker
Jeremy Barcan
Robin and James Rashford
Aunt Jane
Kristie Summers
Danielle Stead

You ROCK! You inspire me to keep myself accountable and get up off my butt to train while also helping out people like Alyssa:

This is Alyssa.  She is 4 years old and was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia in August of 2007.  She loves fiery cheetos, Tinkerbell, all princesses, Dora the Explorer, pink and purple.  She also loves to sing and dance. In August of 2008, she suffered from a severe case of encephalitis and as a result lost her ability to see and also lost most of her ability to move the right side of her body. (Encephalitis is caused by either bacteria or viruses that get in your body and localize in the brain.  The inflammation that causes along with the flooding of white blood cells trying to get at the bacteria/viruses leads to brain tissue swelling against a hard skull.  It's very rare - only about 1500 people in the US are affected every year.)  Despite all of this though, Alyssa still loves to play with dolls, sing along to music, and smile and giggle like any young little girl. She has a long recovery road ahead of her but her family is very optimistic that she will conquer ALL.
Her grandma, Cindy, is very involved with Team In Training and keeps the team updated about Alyssa’s status on a regular basis.

She's another inspiration for me.