And we're off!

Today marks the official start of the 24-week training program for the 3-Day for the Cure! Since Monday is technically the "day of rest" each week, today was a great day to sit down, plot out a strategy for accomplishing my training over the next six months, and write out a plan for this week.

This week is pretty mild ... a total of 12 miles for the week, with a recommended 3-mile walk on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Fortunately that's not a stretch at this point -- I'll be at the gym all four of those days and can get in the 3-mile walk in 50 to 55 minutes, still giving me 20 minutes of cardio on the elliptical. I'll still get in some strength training (Wednesday and Friday), rounding out a full week of activity.

Another tool I found to keep me on track is DailyMile ... it's a great way to log my workouts and track my overall mileage and activity. (You can see a link to my workouts on the right side of my blog.) In addition to logging workouts and mileage, I can also "friend" others who are training for the walk ... if you're doing the 3-Day and are using DailyMile, hit me up! (Today, I also figured out that I can start a "challenge," which I think will allow me to start tracking my miles from now until August and keep a tally with friends who join.)

When all is said and done, I'll have logged 585 training miles between today and August 12... So, ready or not, here I come!

Yay, yay, yay!

Excitement abounds today .... we're getting confirmations on the Euchre party (if you're interested in playing, holler!) and it looks like it'll be a good crowd; Keith's off work next week (minor procedure, he's recovering well), so I get to go to the gym all week; and I got my first set of e-mails from the "virtual trainer" service from the Komen folks:

• Euchre party: We're hoping for a group of at least 32 to play Euchre on Saturday, March 5. If you're interested, let me or Stef know. Payment ($20 per person) is due by Wednesday so we know how many to prepare for. We have a great, random collection of people planning to come ... some camping friends, work pals, drinking buddies (aren't they all?) and more. The best part? A low-key evening of friends, cards and laughter will raise close to $500 for the 3-Day for the Cure!
• Training begins! Monday is the official launch of the 24-week training program for the 3-Day! And you'll be hearing more about that in the coming week, with probably a dozen more exclamation points to come...  I'm so excited for this mark -- for me, it signals the official beginning. I've been working out consistently for the past eight weeks (five or six days a week), with some walking, some cardio, some strength training. Now it's time to really focus on the walking -- over the course of 24 weeks, I'll get in 585 miles of walking. And that's just to prepare me for walking 20 miles a day for three days. In the middle of August (the hottest time of the year!).
• Gym time! Keith's off for the next 10 days, and the most exciting part of that is that I get to go to the gym in the mornings. I never thought I'd say that. Ever. (And those of you who know me well, it's probably a shock!). I am amazed at how much I like the gym... it has been fun, energizing, and a great chance to spend some time with Stef. (And Kyer, who has started joining us, making it a lot of fun!)

So ... with a smidge more than 24 weeks until the walk, I'm excited! (Hence the overuse of exclamation points!!) Thanks for coming along for the ride!

Making your donation go a little further

I'm very excited about the progress we've made in fundraising already -- I've raised $550 in personal donations. We have a lot of interest in the Euchre fundraiser (still time to get in!). We've got 12 people to helps us work the Tiger's concessions (April 9 and June 11).

I'm asking each of you: What can you do to support the 3-Day for the Cure? Can you make a donation of $100 to help fund critical research? Can you make a $60 donation in support of each mile I'll be walking in August?

It's easy to make a big difference:

• You can make your donation go further than you thought. Find out if you work for a matching gift company, which can double your donation.
• Set up a payment plan. Let's say you want to donate $100 and can't do it all right now. Set up a payment option to cover up to four months -- a $25 a month donation for four months is a $100 donation for breast cancer education and outreach.

Please consider what you can do. My goal is to achieve my fundraising goal by June 15, which will give me two months to fully concentrate on training. Make a donation today.

Getting energized at "Getting Started" meeting

Stef and I attended a Susan G Komen "Getting Started" meeting today ... from the stories we heard (like the 21-year-old survivor who was told not to worry about a lump since she didn't have a family history of breast cancer, only to find out 6 months later she had stage 4 breast cancer*), to the photos we saw from walks across the country, to the women we met who are walking this year, the meeting was motivating, inspirational and uplifting.

I'm excited -- To spend three days with my sister and all the women I'm meeting along the way. To see how much money I can raise in support of breast cancer research/education/outreach. To challenge myself to walk 20 miles a day for three days straight. To raise awareness of the importance of never giving up.

*Editors note: If you are a woman, you are at risk. Do not ignore a lump. Do not let someone tell you you're not at risk. Get a second opinion. You deserve it.

Spring is in the air ... and my wallet can't wait

Stef & I went mall walking tonight (our usual Thursday routine), and boy oh boy, I cannot wait for this snow to go away and daylight to last a little longer. Aside from the "side effects" of walking at the mall (I'm now stocked up on Yankee Candle, thank you), it's just not as much fun walking inside.

Although, watching (and dodging) the teeny boppers hanging around the mall is an experience in itself. Tonight there was some sort of event at Hot Topic, and there were tons of teens. Watching the teenage girls "in action" was an amazing study in cruelty... they're just mean little creatures sometimes.

So, the countdown is on ... the "official" training starts in 10 days, and we have fewer than six weeks until spring technically begins.

And for the first time in weeks, I can actually see green on the ground. Yay spring!

First walk... first party!

With the bright sunshine today, it was almost possible to think it was spring. The incredibly brisk wind and treacherous ice reminded me otherwise. But, it was a great day to get outside and get in a quick walk.

We lost half our power last night, including the furnace, so I couldn't get to the gym this morning (waiting for a friend to come fix it). Instead, I laced up and bundled up and headed outside. I used the route-maker on Daily Mile to map out a 3-mile walk right around the house. Other than having to walk in the street most of the time (lots of icy patches on the sidewalks, or houses that just didn't shovel in front of their home for the past, oh, month), it was a great walk, and I made good time (3 miles in 50 minutes).

So, first "outdoor" walk of the season is done (woo hoo!) and I can't wait for the warmer weather to melt some snow (and ice) and we'll get out there a little more.

Speaking of "firsts" .... we're hosting our first fundraiser event... a Euchre Tournament on Saturday, March 5. Check-in is at 7 p.m., first hand starts at 7:30. It's $20 to get in, with cash prizes to 1st and 2nd place. Entry fee covers your games, pizza, pop and munchies. Bring your own booze, leave the kids at home. Let me know if you're interested in playing!! We're asking that everyone confirm their spot by paying by Wednesday, March 3 --you can pay by cash, check or PayPal (bank transfer). Holler and we can cover the details!

Hope you can join us!

We've come so far...

The past month has been a whirlwind of activity -- and a ton of fun!

• Training -- my fitness level has increased tremendously! Our "official" training, the 24-week Komen program, starts March 1, so in preparation Stef and I have been going to the gym regularly. Not only do I feel a lot better, but I'm also really enjoying it -- I even dropped in for a 90-minute workout on my day off! I'm up to a sustained 4.5 mph on the elliptical (up from a measly 3.2 when we first started), and my heart rate is within normal range (instead of the "are-you-serious" range).
• Personal fundraising -- Today, I got an unexpected donation from a colleague at work that pushed me up to the 20% mark -- that's $500 in personal donations. I am amazed. Honored. Touched. Verklempt. You name it.  
• Team fundraising -- We solidified our schedule for fundraising this year -- if you didn't get the "Save the Date" card but want one, just holla and I'll mail it to you! We have lots of fun stuff planned, including:
• Euchre Tournament on March 5 (let me know if you want to get in!)
• March Madness, "Brackets for Boobies" in mid-March
• Spaghetti Dinner @ the campground on May 15
• Garage Sale @ Stef's April 28, 29, 30
• And other events with dates TBD, including a Bagger Dave's night, Ladies Night @ Wiegands Nursery, and another Tastefully Simple party in the spring.

We're also working the concessions stand at two Tiger's games (April 9 and June 11), collecting bottles/cans, and selling some beautiful bracelets (more to come on that!).

It's been a lot of fun so far ... thanks for coming along for the ride!

Cabin fever

The kids aren't the only ones with cabin fever around here. And although I can't show it by running through the house (Kyle) or sassing everyone in sight (Emma), I'm so ready for this winter to be over.

The official 24-week training program for the 3-Day for The Cure starts the first of March .... and right now, the idea of walking outside doesn't sound that appealing. I want to be able to walk the neighborhood. Go for a walk along the Metro Parkway trail. Check out the flora and fauna. All that.

But for now, my walking is limited to the treadmill. A great view of the TV, but it's not quite the same. 40 minutes is my mental limit for the most part.

Fortunately, the first few weeks of training are relatively low-mileage weeks... I can get 12 or 13 miles in during the week on the treadmill.

But I'm still ready for spring. Let's hope Punxsutawney Phil was right!