Updates

Happy Thanksgiving! Sorry, I haven't been great about updating my blog. Here are the updates, we are less than $50 away from achieving our fundraising goal of $1900! Thank you-it's so exciting! Gustavo's running is going really well-he ran about 11 miles today, so I think he is more than ready for the 13 miles in January. My fracture is healing very well, I'm continuing to spin & go to yoga. I am hoping to be running just a little by the end of December. In the meantime, I'm excited to cheer on Gustavo. Thanks again to all for donating to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society! Please visit Taylor Souza's blog attached to this blog as a follower. You can see updates on her progress & donate directly the Souza family. Thanks again everyone and enjoy your Holiday Season!

Shauna

Donate now!

Hi everyone!

Our donation webpage is back in action & you can donate now! We are so close, yet still so far away from our fundraising goal of $1900, that we need to have in by January. Thank you for your support!! This means so much to us!

Shauna

Updates

Okay, so lots of updates! First of all, the garage sale was successful! We raised over $200-thanks to friends donating! Thank you!

Next, I am really bummed, but grateful to report that Gustavo, my husband, will be taking over the half-marathon from here. I have a stress fracture in my foot that will take at least 4 weeks to heal, it's been about 3 already and it's feeling the same. Gustavo has been training with me for the half-marathon, and was very happy to take my place. We will continue to fundraise together! My fundraising page is messed up right now because they are switching our info, so please send donations to me at this time. I am about $500 away from making my goal (I mean our goal)-so close! This is exciting!

I was really torn because tomorrow is what they call a 'recommitment date", where I would give my final commitment to run and raise funds. I just don't know if my foot will be back by then, so the friendly people at the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society offered to switch the funds to my husband, apparently you can switch the program between spouses only. It was either that or I just turn in the amount that I have fundraised at this time & I was figured we are just so close, why stop now!! I am so grateful that Gustavo is going to run for me, but bummed that I won't have this experience. I am really happy that I can continue to fundraise, especially during this time, because little Taylor has been really sick during this round of chemo.

Thank you Gustavo for running for me-what a great hubby!!!

In the meantime, I will continue to heal my foot. No running, but I've been going to spinning at the gym & yoga just once a week, with some really light weight lifting. (and trying to eat salads!! ha ha) Anyhow, I plan on recovering and I will train for another 1/2 marathon once I get the okay from the doctor!

Well, that's the update. Thank you all for donating, your support means so much to Gustavo and I, as we watch our little friend battle leukemia. We are all continuing to make a difference!

Shauna

Garage Sale this Saturday!

The garage sale is on! This Saturday at our house, 7AM! I received donations from friends, and went through everything in our house, I think we have some good inventory. Thank you to everyone who donated to the garage sale.

I really had to refocus my energy into the garage sale because my foot has been bothering me when I run for over a week now. I've been worried that it won't heal, I'll loose my endurance that I've built up, and wondering why it hurts. I went to a doctor, he ordered an MRI, but it doesn't sound serious. I think he just wants to make sure-I'm thinking something just got sprained & it needs rest. I've been going to spinning and yoga to try and keep up. I actually do not like spinning, but it actually hasn't been that bad-maybe I needed something to mix it up. I'm able to keep my heart rate up for a good hour at running rate. I'm going to attempt a short run this weekend, ice my foot. I figured all I can do right now is this & work on the garage sale project-the funds are more important than running this week!

I did realize 2 things though-I want to run the 1/2 even more now! And, this is just a little twist that gets thrown my way in life, I'll deal with it somehow, life will move on, it's absolutely nothing compared to what little Taylor & her family are going through!

Anyhow-Thanks again to everyone's support & take care!

Shauna

Accepting Garage Sale Donations!

I can tell this blog gets read so much....

Anyhow if anyone has garage sale donations please let me know! I'm going to have a garage sale on Oct 24th. All funds raised at the garage sale go to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society!

Now's your chance to do some fall cleaning before the Holiday Madness begins!

Thanks everyone!

Shauna

5 more miles & over 50% to my goal and it's only October!

I am really excited because everyone has been so generous. I am almost 60% to my goal of $1900! I'm so close, it's really exciting-thanks to everyone!

I am also happy because Gustavo and I ran for 80 minutes today, hopefully about 8 miles! That means I have only 5 to go. I'm stoked, I think I may accomplish these goals after all! I have till January 17th, so I feel like I'm on the right track!

It finally cooled a little here in Phoenix, thank goodness! If I run at 6, it's dark and it was very cool in the morning! If I run earlier it's the treadmill because it's just too dark. I like Sundays because I can now sleep in, till like 7ish and still go for a long run. Weather is great! This is why I live in Phoenix!

Thanks to all for your continued support!

Shauna

Yard Sale!

Hello everyone! I've decided on hosting a yard sale in October to help raise funds. I think this will be a great way to allow people to donate unused household items to a wonderful cause. If you have any items you'd like to donate and are in the Phoenix area, please contact me-you can post a to this blog, by this Friday, October 2nd. I will be more than happy to come by and pick items up-I'm all over Phoenix, Chandler, Tempe, and Scottsdale, and am more than willing to cruise out to the west side of town for donations. I'll host the garage sale mid to late October, when the mornings cool a little more-hopefully!!

That's it for the fundraising update this week & my long run is scheduled for tomorrow, Sunday. Hopefully that will go as well as last weekend! My runs during the week where really good, and I enjoyed a wonderful yoga class last week with Melissa, my favorite teacher, visiting from Saudi Arabia! I miss her-she has the very best yoga classes-I always feel like a new person after her classes. (Hence the yard sale idea came to me after class!)

Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend-thanks again for your support!

Shauna

7 miles & $1,000 to go!

Gustavo was my "personal trainer" this morning! He pushed me through my long run this morning-70 minutes-probably almost 7 miles. It was a nice run, and I know Gustavo can run so much faster than me, so I'm glad he just hung out behind me to keep me going! He actually ran an addition 10 minutes, my legs where feeling pretty heavy at 70 minutes. I got through "the rut" though, and have left it behind!! Thanks for the run Gustavo!

I'm only a $1,000 away from meeting my goal-last week was a very slow donation week, I'm hoping it will start picking up again-donations seem to come in spurts! Thanks again to every one's support! I'm thinking of doing a garage sale to help pick it up-my fundraising is going great, I'm just excited to hit the goal, and hopefully raise more!

Till next time!

Shauna

Taylor Souza-my inspiration for getting out of my rut this week!

Long Hot Days

Sorry I've been MIA from my Blog. My training has been going okay, but I feel like I've hit a rut-which happens with running. I have to find away to break through it! I am going to try and run with others-either my Team in Training Group (5:30 sat mornings-I do early all week, sat too?!), or I know of some friends who have either taken up running or who are training for something. I'll let you know how it goes. I'm going to plan for my long hour run next weekend with someone. I think part of the problem is, it's just soo hot still! Early in the morning, before 6, it's perfect, but on the weekend I love to sleep in until about 8, but I can't run at 8! Well I can but it's the treadmill, which is so boring right now. See-it's my rut! I think once October hits the weekends will be easier, but then it will start getting dark outside in the morning! It will work out!!

As far as fundraising-I had a great week! Thank you to everyone-I just sent in some more donations Friday, and will be very close to $1,000 soon!! I still have $900 to go, so if you haven't had the opportunity to donate, & would like too, please do. I would love to hit my $1900 mark and then raise more for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society!!

Thanks to every one's support! Have a good week everyone!!

Shauna

The Power of People

Today was a pretty cool day. Gustavo & I attended a fundraiser for Taylor Souza, our friend who is battling leukemia. The fundraiser was at a golf resort here in Phoenix-golf and dinner. Despite the temperatures being around 113, the turn out was remarkable! Gustavo and I both had dinner, he also golfed, and I helped man a contest at a hole on the course. We where out in these temps for a good 5 hours or so! But it didn't matter! Over 100 golfers where there, and dinner was packed!! There was a game on the course, a raffle, a silent auction-just amazing and everyone wanted a piece! People where so happy to give and be there-I feel like I was bathed in pure positivity all day-it was wonderful. It was very inspiring. Tom, who put the day together let me "sell" Leukemia & Lymphoma Awareness Bracelets" for my fundraising. Thanks to everyone's generous spirit I sold them all! I should have ordered more-something I learned, not to expect less of myself in this fundraising-people will give. I think I am going to order more for future donations-they are very popular! But that is just a side-note to the wonderful giving to the Souza Family today! Thanks to all!

Early Mornings are tough but worth it!

I am getting a break from the week! Yes! I get up very early in the work week to work out/run before work, plus it's actually in the high 70's/low 80's that early-it's beautiful watching the sun rise running in the desert. However, I can feel it today-I'm wiped out-it's a good wiped out though. I did get my letters out to friends and family asking for donations-that took a lot of time after work, but it's done! I took today off from work (although I still ran & lifted weights). It was a good week-5 miles on Mon, 3 on Wed, and 3 today plus weights and a yoga class last night. We'll see what I can get in this weekend. Anyhow-off to a long weekend. Training and Fundraising is in full swing and going really well!! Thanks to all who have already donated-no donation is too small! I am so grateful for anything!

Shauna

My inspiration for running 13.1 and raising funds for LLS

Hello everyone! I was attempting to put a picture of my inspiration for the race on my team in training website & that was tough-so here is a picture of Taylor and her twin sister Savannah. You can put a face (adorable face) to the name.

Take care!

I don't have too much to blog about this week. Got my new running shoes & ran 12 miles total last week. 5 miles was my big day last Sunday. This Sunday however, I was exhausted running, I don't know why-we just have days like that, I ended up cutting my long run to 3 miles instead. When I get tired on runs like that, I back up for the week. Yoga tomorrow and no running till Wednesday!

As far as fundraising, I just started getting e-mails out & I am finishing up my letter that I am going to send. So far I have only $50 from Santo and Gustavo!! A long, long way to go, but I'll do it, I may have to get creative.

Anyhow, have a good week everyone-mornings are a tad cooler, or should I say not as hot right now, so I'm out running this week, hope to see you out there too!

Donation Update

Hello just some housekeeping regarding donations-if you work for Takeda please hold your donation, I am investigating the "matching gifts program". I will get back to you ASAP on work e-mail. Thank you! If you don't work for Takeda check out your employers to see if they will match your donation. We can make the most out of every dollar towards finding a cure for these diseases!!

Big Pink Dress

This has nothing to do with the previous entries, but the silliest thing happened to me today at work. I was in an office in my new $12 Target Bright Pink Dress, that one of my work partners inspired me to buy, because it's so hot outside, and the dress looked cool and comfortable. Well, the dress is all that, and apparently another representative thought the same thing!! I was sitting in the office, and in walks my pink dress!! It was so funny because a patient asked if we were nurses and if that was our new uniform! There was a male rep. in the office too, and he seemed so freaked out! He told me I was going to tell you she was coming in with the same dress, but I just didn't know what to say! Also this adorable little Grandma that had the same colored shirt on as the dresses, looked at us and said "oh my"!

Anyway, it's really not a big deal, but the office staff got a kick out of it, and I found it to be pretty funny. Oh, and did I mention she sells one of my competition products!! Even funnier! I hope I didn't embarrass her, I was having some fun with it.

It happens, and it will probably happen again!!

Shoes?!

Today was fun. I officially signed up for the half marathon with team in training. I now not only have a goal for running, but a fundraising goal as well. I think it's achievable, and have some ideas on fundraising already. 

My running shoes are wore out, so I went to purchase new shoes at New Balance, where I usually always find the perfect pair. I did purchase a pair, but they just don't feel like my other ones (I know those are broken in). I hate to do this, but I think they are going back & I'm going to go to Runners Den where I'm pretty sure they will help me with a better fit. I have really flat feet and no arch, so a good shoe is hard to find!!

I can't wait to get my training schedule and start out on some good runs, I'm mostly indoors on the treadmill right now & that can get boring! I have to add hills on the treadmill to make it feel more like an outdoor run. It will cool off in the morning in September, and I'll be able to get back outside. I am also excited to get a website later this week to begin my fundraising. You'll all hear about that soon!!

Happy running!

My first blog.....

Dear blog,

These blogs seem like mini public diaries, they're different-I was reading my friend Alexis's blog and Taylor's blog and decided I'd get one. What was the big motivation? Well, I have decided to do the PF Changs Rock in Roll 1/2 Marathon in Phoenix, and I am going to sign up on Saturday with the Team in Training for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. I was motivated to do this to show my support not only for people who are affected by these diseases, but specifically for Taylor. Friends/co-workers of mine have two beautiful twin girls, and one the the twins was recently diagnosed with Leukemia at 3 years old! You can visit www.lovingtaylor.com to read about the family. Anyhow, I am really excited to begin this journey of fundraising and training for 13.something miles. I've done one 1/2 marathon, but it was years ago in college, I have been running consistently for awhile now, and can comfortably run at least 6 miles. I should have plenty of time to train, for the race in January. 

So my blog will be talking about training and stuff. It may be boring to read, but who cares, it's my blog!! It's be fun chatting! Blog with you later and please check out the link above!