Pray For Elijah reminder bands are in!

I have just received word from Elijah's dad, Britt, that the oodles of reminder bands I order are in! He will bring them to me today at lunchtime. So... if you'd like one, please e-mail me your address. My e-mail address can be found on my profile page. I will try to get them in the mail over the weekend. It is likely that your next longrun can be accomplished while wearing a "Pray For Elijah" reminder band!

Elijah gives this idea two thumbs up!

Give it a listen

Nothing I can say could compare to the AWESOME post of Susan's below! Running a marathon is such a cool thing by itself, but pairing that feat with becoming a St. Jude Hero is something I can't even come up with the rights words to describe!

I did want to make you all aware of a new podcast the MarathonChris, Nigel and I have put together to help follow all of YOUR awesome running events you have planned this fall/winter. So Susan, grab your microphone and get over to http://www.theextramilepodcast.com/ and tell us all what you have planned and how you are doing!

That goes for the rest of you too, my Blog Buddies!

Kevin

Running For A Reason

You can read the whole story over at my blog if you like... but I plan to train for the St. Jude Memphis Marathon (12/1/07) in honor of our friend Elijah!!! AND I am going to set a PR!!! Since it will be my second marathon, I think it is realistic to focus on a faster time and not just finishing. Here is my inspiration:

Who's Doing What???

Hi Everyone! Since we're sharing our training here on this blog, I thought it'd be nice to have a little table in the side bar that said what major race we're training for and the race date, with links to the person's blog for more info. If you're training for more than one big race in the Fall or Winter, feel free to mention all of them.

So ... if you want to be included in the table, just leave a comment. When most of us have replied, Chris and I will get that table up so we can see at a glance who's doing what!

Race Alert

I just read that the Nike Women's Race has been so successful in San Francisco, that that Nike is adding a new half marathon in Chicago on April 20, 2008.

I haven't seen any registration or additional information, other than what I read in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Newsletter.

I am going to keep an eye out for registration information. And will keep everyone posted.

If I can swing it, I'm going to run this one.

No more blisters - allegedly

Hey all - in great haste but just wanted to share the following - went to see a podiatrist on Monday who sold me this stuff. I have some hard skin beneath my big toe and apparently smoothing some of this underneath it (1mm thick, we are metric in these parts) before putting on running socks and sweating in my shoes for a while should do the trick. He is a climber (the podiatrist) and also claims this stuff works miracles for blister hot spots - just put a layer on before putting on your socks and hey presto! no more blisters!

Don't know whether you can get this stuff on your side of the Atlantic but their other products are outstanding so I think it's probably good stuff. I'm heading over to Canada in 2 weeks and am happy to post a stash out to all interested parties from there - just let me know.

That's all for now! Happy weekend running!

I'm All a' Twitter

Marathon Chris mentioned in a comment several days ago about the possibility of twitter updates in real-time as we particpate in the PWWHM. I don't know if we'll all be running at the exact same time, on the same day or any of the logistical details. But we have time to work that out.



I went to the twitter site and created an account for myself. It took less than five minutes, and that includes uploading a picture.

//PEER PRESSURE If you don't have a twitter account, you should get one, all the cool kids are doing it. // End PEER PRESSURE

Elijah has been tagged!

This handsome devil is Elijah -- of Team Elijah fame. His family and mine spent several hours together on Sunday. We are photographed here just before starting a game of mini-golf. (I conveniently cropped out mine and Chasen's heads!) His yellow t-shirt is a commemorative one; last year he hosted his very own lemonade stand to raise awareness of childhood cancer. It was quite successful! He will do the same again this summer.

Elijah's website is http://www.prayforelijah.com/. He is doing very well with his second round of chemo. In fact, he his this week OFF and gets to go hang out with friends at his summer care program.

At Marathon Chris's suggestion, I "tagged" Elijah (his mom, actually) so that we may all learn six odd facts about him. Here they are: (thanks, Dawn!!!)

1. He has a scar on his tongue. When he was one year old he fell at daycare and bit ALL THE WAY through his tongue.. He still has a scar which he proudly shows anyone.

2. He is teaching himself to write in cursive. He asked for a workbook to learn how to write each letter and practices regularly. He already knows how to sign his name.. Not bad for just finishing kindergarten.

3. Last summer Elijah got to swim in the Atlantic Ocean and meet Mickey Mouse on the East Coast. This summer he will get to swim in the Pacific Ocean and meet Mickey on the West Coast!

4. Elijah was the first kid at Arkansas Children’s Hospital to assist in his own bone marrow transplant! The procedure is an IV push of the stem cells and Elijah wanted to push his own. Quite impressive!!!

5. Elijah is named after his grandfather, Elijah Everett Talley, Jr. and his great grandfather, Elijah Everett Talley, Sr. (Elijah’s Papa goes by his middle name, though.)

6. Every year on his birthday, Elijah has his picture taken in the hospital shirt his dad wore on the day he was born so we can see how much he grows from year to year.

FYI: Powerade 59cents, maybe

This post may or may not be prevalent to you. First, if you don't like Powerade, you can move on... it's not for you. Second, you have to have a Food City (grocery store/supermarket) near you.

On my visit to Food City this morning, there was a huge display of Powerade for 88 cents each. Powerade usually costs about $1 at Wal-mart, so it was a good deal. But if you bought 10 32oz bottle, you got 5 for free, thus lowering your cost to 59cents each.

In the past local convenience stores have offered a BOGO free deal, but at $1.59, that's still 80 cents a bottle.

I can not confirm if this at all Food Cities or just the one in Tennessee.

Interval training - it hurts but it works

This weekend's New York Times had an article on interval training which seems to prove that interval training works.. What a painful reality! (e-mail me if link doesn't work and I'll send you a pdf).

I for one am now determined to turn Uncle Hal's shorter runs into interval sessions. MarathonChris is just bombing ahead and I need to get myself speedier and intervals, it seems, are the answer..