The Longest Mile ~

Today started out like every Saturday morning for Chris and I. The alarm clock going off at 5:30 and both of us taking everything we have to get up and face hours of running. After all, we just went bed at midnight! Why do we do that to ourselves?

We roll out of bed and have a system in place; peanut butter, banana & honey on whole wheat toast with a Spark- Hydrate and two O2 Gold for breakfast- well, really for fuel.

Then we stumble back to our room to get dressed and ready to go. All the essentials put in the car; water bottles ( on ice of course), plenty of Excel gels and a couple energy bars. OK, shoes on, we are ready to go. It was a wonderful 66 degrees this morning. I was actually cold :) That however did not last long.

We run at a park that has a paved trail that is a mile and a half around. So today's run was 9 times around with an extra 1/2 mile added to the end to make a total of 14 miles- the furthest we have ever run and our 3rd half marathon, one "official" and two in training!

I won't lie, the end was tough but we even picked up the pace when we saw the end in sight! It was a great morning and "the longest mile" of our lives :)

Doctors Visit Today

I went to see my doctor today because I am having some pain that I thought might be a bladder infection. All the tests so far are normal and will get more results on Tuesday. She said she does not think it is an infection but wants me to have a sonogram next week to check for cysts. The other possibility is an injured groin which I think, we both think, that will be the answer :)

Here is the great news and just 2 more reasons to RUN!! My blood pressure which has been high for the last year or two probably due to the medication that damaged my heart was 116/69!! Last week at the oncologist ( went to get my Lupron injection) it was 120/73! It is ALWAYS very high when I go there :) This was a first-yeah!

Also, I had a bone density test done today and it showed no change from 2 1/2 years ago and is completely normal! Given the drugs I have been on ( like tamoxifen) and that I have been put in a medical menopause, this is great news! So, besides a sore groin and foot all is well and tomorrow Chris and I will attempt (d0) our longest run ever of 14 miles.

Don't forget to vote on the poll~ thanks everyone!

What do you want to hear about??

I have decided to put up a poll to see what all of you most enjoy or want to hear about concerning this blog. ( ELAYNE'S BLOG-RUNNING TO RECOVERY)

Please vote on the poll so I can get an idea, and feel free to leave a comment if you don't see what you would like to hear more about in the poll. You can vote on multiple answers and you are anonymous.

Thanks everyone! I hope this blog is helpful, inspiring, interesting or whatever you need it to be :)

CANCER SURVIVOR- 11 YEARS TODAY!!

I have tried to think of something really profound to write today but can't think of a thing to say except~

Today I am here and "here am I"~ the video says what I am unable to put into words.

Climb Your Mountain and Scream HOPE!

Eat Right to Reduce Cancer risk

When it comes to cancer there are no guarantees. However, some of these healthy habits may significantly reduce your risks:

• Focus on fiber. Eat foods rich in fiber, especially those made with whole grains, to help reduce the risk of several cancers.
  
• Find healthy fats. Meals containing olive oil or fish help protect against cancer, and avoiding fat from meat, dairy, and processed foods may decrease cancer risk.
  
• Go vegetarian. Lower cancer risk by eating plenty of fruits, whole grains, legumes, and vegetables (especially tomatoes and cruciferous vegetables like cabbage), which helps to optimize body weight, immune function, hormone regulation, and to avoid meat-related carcinogens.
  
• Avoid alcohol. Use alcoholic beverages in moderation or not at all to reduce the risk of many cancers.
  
• Get regular checkups. Many cancers can be prevented or discovered in the early stages with screening tests available through your doctor.

Will I dance with my son at his wedding?

I attended a wedding shortly after my 2nd diagnosis with breast cancer. I was doing pretty well, UNTIL the mother/son dance came up at the reception. It took everything I had not to run out of there. These are part of the tough moments when you see other people's lives and wonder about things like "will I dance with my son at his wedding"?

As you can see on June 12th "I danced with my son at his wedding"! We have victories everyday, sometimes they are huge and sometimes they are small. Either way, I hope you are seeing them and enjoying them each day. Click on the link below to listen to the song Kevin chose for our dance~ enjoy!

Love you Kevin. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5gvSzbSMNg

Heart Monitor Results

I received the results today from my cardiologist regarding the heart monitor ~ "premature ventricular contraction" ( early beat, pause and release of blood flow= heart racing). Good news is that I don't need to worry about it ( fairly common) and still have the ok to train for the marathon! Bad news is they suggest I stop drinking caffeine, well I'll have to think about that one :)

The consensus so far has been No Coffee- No Way! I will cut back though :) This was good news and honestly, I was most worried they were going to tell me to stop running~ whew :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWGqETd6oxk