Welcome to my new blog!

I am nearing the end of my third season with Team in Training and it occurred to me that I have sent much fewer newsletter-ish updates this year than last year.  In fact, I think I sent only one at the beginning of the season.  It is now almost the end, so I thought a few people might be interested in some news.

If you've been following my progress on Facebook, then you may know that I had some health issues that messed up my training this summer.  I cursed the migraine gods and they finally liberated me in August.  Despite this plague, I did manage to complete the Montreal Oasis Half-Marathon last week!  In fact, I was able to do it in 20 minutes less than the Halifax half last year!  A personal best!  

I had a great race for the first two thirds, but then things got weird (14.2 km according to my Garmin).  I'm not sure if I was over-caffeinated (gorged myself on Gü Rocktane gels) or if I should have run slower.  It was a bit rough, but four of the TNT coaches on the racecourse helped me by running (or walking in one case) with me through the tough bits.  When I crossed the finish line, I collapsed into my friend Sophie's arms who sat me on the sidewalk and handed me her asthma pump, and then I was fine.  She was also the one to hand me my finisher's medal.

The following are a bunch of pictures from last weekend.  I apologize for the watermarks on the official race pictures.  These are only screenshots of the proofs on the marathonphoto website.  I seem to be smiling during all the rough bits... dunno how that happened.  It might have been all the purple people I saw who cheered me on, and whom I cheered on.  Running with TNT turns an endurance event into a party.

 The race started on Jacques-Cartier bridge....  it was cooooold, hence the garbage bags.

My sweat tastes salty  :)

This is when I started having trouble... why the heck am I smiling?

This is me trying to breathe the way Coach Brian told me to.

High-fiving Coach Cathlyn after she ran with me to corral leading to the finish line.

And then what happened?

Now my focus has switched to my final event of the season, which is the Nike Women's Half Marathon!  This is the same one that I completed in October of last year, which I decided to do again while sitting on the beach just past the finish line.  Two weeks from tomorrow I will get to participate in that incredibly fun Marathon again!  I am so very excited!  Some TNT friends and I are planning to run it "like tourists", which is to say that we will go slowly and enjoy the scenery and the atmosphere.  We will take many pictures along the way, and especially enjoy posing with the guys who will be handing us our "medals".  :)
As for the fundraising, I have raised $3,051.27 so far, which is not bad.  I would like to reach $4,000 by the end of the season.  There is a Fundraising Superstar t-shirt in my future, by gum!  That's something you get when you reach a lifetime total of $10,000 with TNT.  Anyone wishing to make a donation to Team in Training may do so here:  http://bit.ly/SponsorReb

Thank you very much indeed to those of you who have helped me with donations and words of encouragement!  It means a great deal to me and to our cause!  
Keep an eye on my YouTube page for video updates from San Francisco!

Thanks again!



Rebecca