Back to Basics

For the last week my blog has sat empty, hiding her face in shame. I just can not rectify quitting the full marathon with myself. At night I toss and turn, unable to see myself finishing a half in my mind's eye, instead I remember the split off point at Long Beach last year where the full marathon runners wearily continued on while us half marathon runners sprinted to our easy finishes. Back then I thought those big-calved people in nike running shorts downing clif shot bloks were absolutely insane, and by the time many of them finished I was at Boston's slamming potato skins and beer. This year is different, I am different, and I have to run the full marathon.

The naysayers started in on me several months ago, and the doubt manifested itself in my sub-conscious, rearing it's ugly head in the depths of my longest runs. Never before had I stumbled to a halt mid-mile with trail left before me, but it seemed like every training run I did I took on the weight of a marathon and forgot to focus on the mileage at hand. How did I allow myself to look away from the horizon? Usually I know what to tell myself to keep running past the breaking point, but my voice was drowned out by my pulse beating ever harder in my head as my mileage climbed higher. No music, no complex issues in my life I need to work out, no time to find a challenging new trail, and a pile of laundry awaiting me at home just made every run feel lethargic... slow motion... even boring. I longed for the last mile as I started the first, and forgot to enjoy everything that happened in the middle.

As I have rested my knee and focused on shorter runs over the last 2 weeks I have realized how much I missed running, and why I set out on this journey to begin with. I can't just give up, I have come too far and worked too hard, I expect more from myself then being a quitter. Come race day I will cross that damn finish line at 26.2 miles. I may have to run and walk intermittently... but my yellow CTF jersey and I will finish!

(and if I ever try to quit again you people have to slap some sense into me!)

Live to Run Another Day

In our family we have a tradition, on your birthday you are the big bad boss. Everyone has to do what you want, and you don't have to lift a finger... for the entire weekend. Last night in a moment of sudden genius I turned to Paul and informed him that for my birthday he would be running a few miles with me. He begrudgingly obliged.

This morning after dropping the kids off, we laced up our running shoes and took off at a steady pace. I felt my pre-birthday wine sloshing in my belly, and the heat beating down my shoulders... but with Paul alongside me I was content. We covered just 2 miles, a perfect first run for Paul, and as we walked back to our place my knee started to swell. As we contorted into yoga positions I kept glancing at my knee, unrecognizable from just an hour earlier.

26 miles is incredibly far, and I will finish a marathon. There is just no way I can run that distance 3 weeks from now. My body is not ready. I have no choice but to drop down to the half marathon, and continue to train for the full marathon at my next race in Las Vegas.

As I type this I want to delete it, I want to put my shoes back on and run 20 miles right this second, proving that I am not a quitter. Everyone who runs a marathon has doubts, but I have to be realistic and recognize the difference between doubts and an injury. If I attempt the full marathon chances are I wont make it the entire way without seriously damaging my knee. I want to live to run another day. I am not quitting, simply granting myself an extension.

I sincerely hope I am not letting any of my supporters down! I will still run the half marathon, and then be prepared to cheer on all those full marathon NF Endurance Team warriors as they cross that finish line. I'll never give up...

Too Blessed to be Stressed...

I did my last treadmill run today in preparation for the San Francisco half-marathon this Sunday! I am really pumped up, and despite my nagging self doubts I am anxious to attack that course. I just want to come in at or under 2:20. That is slow for most people, but I am running my own race. I did just have Cyberknife a month ago!

On my run today I threw in some hills and strides, then did plenty of stretching and core work after. I held hands with both of my kids and soaked up the warm... okay blistering hot.... sunshine as we left the gym. I love the feel of their tiny hands pressed against my palms.

I have a long day of laundry, cleaning and packing today, but am doing it with a smile, because I know tomorrow we leave for a visit with my Gramps and Diana in North Cali. Paul will join us on Friday, and the trip will culminate with the half marathon which I have dedicated to my Mom as her birthday is this week.

I feel blessed and grateful, which may make for a boring blog, but I wouldn't trade my life for anything today.

Gramps and his BFF Dave on a recent "fishing" trip!

Intent

I stepped outside yesterday with the intent of running about 12 hilly miles, and was promptly slapped in the face by 90 degree weather at 6 pm. I started a slow easy jog down a flat shaded path, and just kept going until it was dark, cold, and my left knee started to click. I had covered about 10 miles. Instead of my usual feeling of accomplishment I could only focus on the fact that the flat 10 miles was incredibly difficult for me to finish, yet I want to make a PR on a hilly 13.1 mile course in just 9 days.

The longer I am a runner, and the more articles in Runner's World with women mentioning going a "slow" 8 mile clip that I read, the more I feel the strain of my own limitations rather than the joy of triumph over a difficult course. It is no longer enough for me to just finish, I want to be proud of the time on my watch as I stagger to the finish line.

These feelings of inadequacy have plagued me over the past 2 weeks, and Paul's answer was to tell me that I would probably have a very slow finish time in San Francisco because of the hills and I should prepare mentally for that. I just looked at him and said... you suck at this.

Screw a slow finish time, I am going to PR next Sunday. If I have to trash my legs in the process and spend the following week in an ice bath on oxygen and a diet of sharkees and protein shakes, well that is all the better to remind me the price you pay to reach your goals. I may not reach them as fast as others, but I will reach them.

4 Months to 26.2

I want to sincerely thank those of you who have already donated to CTF on my Active Giving page, and really gotten the ball rolling! We have already raised $400! We have 4 more months to reach my goal of $5000 for this year. I've been going on my long runs and really focusing on training, and when I feel like I can't take another step, I remember that I am running for all of you who have supported me this entire time.

Next month, on July 26th, I will run the half marathon at the San Francisco Marathon and am excited to run across the Golden Gate bridge! San Francisco holds special meaning to me. My Gramps has lived in the Bay Area since long before I was born, and the best part of every vacation in my childhood was visiting his beautiful home and spending time with him and my Grams, and now Diana. My Gramps has been a constant source of stability in my life, and will be at the SF Marathon to cheer me on! I cannot wait to see him at the finish line. We have agreed to dedicate this run specifically to my Mom, Kari, who we tragically lost a few years ago just 3 months before her 40th birthday. She was 39 and lived in a nursing home, unable to care for her most basic needs and completely deaf. On July 22nd she would have been 44 years old. When I run on the 26th I am not just running for her, but also for my Gramps, who has suffered the loss of a wife and 2 children at the hand of NF2. Nobody should have to live through that much pain in one lifetime, and still he handles it with dignity and grace, always caring for everyone around him and wearing a smile on his face. He sets the example for me that no matter how unfortunate a circumstance, life carries on and holds happiness for us all.

CTF is making great strides in the fight against NF, and even specifically NF2. All fundraising dollars donated on my page are specifically earmarked for NF2. A specific example of how this money is used is CTF's current funding of a clinical trial testing the efficacy of a drug called Lapatanib on NF2 vestibular schwannoma. For those of you who have been on this journey with me over the years, you know it is amazing that drug therapies are now visible on the horizon for NF2 patients!

CTF has given me a focus for my energy, a way to feel as though I am really making a difference and not just waiting for this disease to take over my life. CTF is helping me to fight back, and I am asking all of you to fight back with me by donating on my Active Giving page, http://www.active.com/donate/nflongbeach2009/Olivia

Thank you for your support and *Never Give Up*

Mantra

I always have mixed emotions when I set off on my long runs. It feels great to get out and escape, but as my feet leave my porch I wonder what would happen if I just ran right back inside and plopped down on the couch with a bag of doritos? As quickly as I can push the thought away it fades into the distance and I fall into the familiar rythm of a 10 minute pace. The first mile is always messy, and I suck in air as I wait at the first cross light. When the little man says to walk, I take off running, and soon my body stops screaming and just glides along. I know I am slow compared to most runners, but I run my own race, and am just thankful I am able to run at all with 5 brain tumors and 4 spine surgeries under my water belt. I take in the beautiful mountains and as it becomes challenging to meet my pace my thoughts dissolve into simple mantras. Determind... strong... run... I let my mind think only positive thoughts as I fly along the trail. Health is a necessity, but skinny is a benefit... pain is temporary but pride is forever... it's better than brain surgery... and as I struggle to the top of a hill I ask aloud, "Is that all you've got?!" As I fly down the other side the answer comes with a smile... determined... strong... run...

Crossing the Finish Line!

My... abs.... hurt... I have been so focused on them over the last week they just screech everytime I take a step. Adding fast sprints to my shorter runs has really given my training a much needed kick in the ass. My girlfriend Jolene and I have started doing some runs together, and it is so refreshing to have company and not be the only lunatic flailing down the road. Today we're running the 3 miles to the gym, weight training, then running back and doing yoga at my place. I'm actually looking forward to it, and know I will be deliciously sore tomorrow. Even now my mind's eye is distracted, tempted to put on my shoes and just run straight to the top of Day Creek where I can look out over the entire city and then enjoy the windy jog back down. I just have to avoid the black hole of the sofa, and stop taking little "vacations" from my routine for every tiny reason, and the next thing I know I will be crossing the marathon finish line in Long Beach and partying on the beach without hiding under a cover up!

As CTF Team Captain I'm encouraging all of you to join us in Long Beach and get running! We have a team of 433 Ironworkers running the 5k, and a team of local Mommy's walking the 5K in tiaras, a couple of friends are signing up for the 1/2 and full, and there will definitely be an after party so we can down a few much deserved ice cold beers! If you are interested then sign up here with the NF Endurance Team, then go here and sign up for your event at the race registration website! If you plan on running the full in around 5 hours contact me, I would love to have someone to run with, so who wants to cross the finish line with me?

Defined

2 nine minute miles followed by 2 miles of 2 minute hard intervals. That is my favorite new run! Hard enough to make my abs ache when I try to run after Mica, but short enough that I am not motivated to eat everything in my house within hours of finishing my protein shake. With Paul home a lot more lately my workout routine has been de-prioritized, and I am struggling to find the time to run the 20 miles a week I have committed too. People have told me running is just my hobby, and such is life. If you ever call running a hobby, then you don't know me very well. Runner defines me as much as Mother does, and we all have the right to be the person we see ourselves as. So I squeeze in my hard run and breathe deeply 3 times instead of 5 in each yoga pose, I sneak in my 200 sit ups while the kids take a bath, and politely decline a 2nd glass of wine over dinner. So every moment I am consumed by my responsibilities I am still living as a runner, because when you run you are a runner between runs no matter how far in between they may be.

Top 10 People I Hate at the Gym

1. The guy with the veins popping out of his neck who gets off the machine and just walks away, leaving his steroid-infested man stanky sweat in puddles on the seat. You know you are supposed to wipe that up, keep your ring worm to yourself nasty!

2. Chick on the stairmaster with hair fully styled and not at all in a ponytail... if you were actually working out you would want your hair up. Stop posing on all the equipment and get the hell out of my way before I break your nails.

3. Personal trainer who you specifically tell you want to learn the resistance machines, and then creates a "routine" for you using nothing but free weights and trainer tools in the hopes of forcing you to pay for more personal sessions. Right, because not listening is the best way to get repeat customers.

4. Weird little old dude who sits across from you, and you can feel his creepy old ass eye-molesting you while you press. Oddly, he doesn't do anything but sit on random machines!

5. Girl who floats in on her implants... in any other situation I don't care, but how the hell am I supposed to focus and sweat when you freaking cheat your way to a perfect body then come in here acting like you bench pressed those things out of your pecs??

6. Bad ass bebe kid trying to hit my innocent child in the daycare and teach him bad words. What is your problem? Why are you so angry? I know it smells like feet in here, and your Mom is off flirting with weird little old dude, but damn suck it up and leave my baby alone!

7. Person with a blue tooth on while working out... you are not that important and none of us are fooled. If you had such a demanding job why is your ass at the gym on a Monday morning? So not only are you unemployed, you go to the gym and pretend to work out, because sweat would completely ruin that fugly thing you've hot glued to your ear. God help you if its bedazzled.

8. 16 year old sitting on a machine text messaging, how did you get a membership? Don't they have age requirements here? Shouldn't you be in the daycare waiting for your Mom? Get the hell off the machine, just because their isn't a line doesn't mean I'm not waiting for it to open up from across the room. We all know your generation can't be expected to understand actual human relations, so go home and google some Tae Bo on You Tube and frigging get out of my way.

9. Old tiny asian lady with the huge bush walking around naked in the locker room. Cover your muff, it's scaring me.

10. Girl in jeans and makeup on the sit up machine, are you really that broke or just tacky? I'm guessing tacky since you could afford the membership. Or maybe this is a free trial which would explain why I probably will never see you here again, so get out of my way.

*Weird deaf girl who sits in judgement of everyone and never moves when you say excuse me!*

Mixology

I stepped out of my warm cozy condo into the crisp air this morning and jogged my way to the front of the complex. My legs felt heavy, but I pushed forward, playing out my mile splits in my head. Running towards the mountains and focusing on hill training kept my mind absorbed until I hit the running trail and had a 4 mile flat segment to cover. My thoughts kept bouncing around, finally landing on an old song that sounds slightly off tune in my head. After having been deaf for 6 years, I am stuck replaying the same mix tape to myself repeatedly. Like a summer hit that makes you change the station by Christmas, but there is nothing else to hear. Alanis, Aaliyah, Britney... The Doors, Joplin, Creedence... my old favorites are on constant rotation. The trail seemed to stretch before me for an eternity, droplets of sweat beaded along my hair as my breath quickened. Running can just be so boring without any external entertainment! So as I passed Archibald and felt my muscles warm up, I cleared my throat and started singing out loud. My pace matched the beat as I belted out Gloria by the Doors in my best warbled Jim Morrison impression. Suddenly a smile caught my lips and the path began to pass by more quickly. I repressed the urge to stop and do a dork dance as I belted out Waterfalls by TLC and rapped Left Eye's part with a bounce in my step. As I waited for traffic to pass at a light I started into a heartwrenching performance of You Oughta Know, only slightly lowering my volume when passed by a few kids on bikes. The final steep descent to the top of Day Creek inspired a bit of I Believe I Can Fly by R Kelly, and as I pounded my way to the top I was finally silenced. I looked out over the little city I have lived in all my life, and absorbed the sense of accomplishment for a minute before heading back downhill, humming We Are the Champions without a shred of irony...

Today is the first day of my new weekly training schedule! I have to get my legs a lot stronger if they are going to carry me 26.2 miles in October. Since my next race is several months away, for the next month I am going to focus on weight training as much as I can without injury, weight training is my favorite part of my routine! It goes by fast with obvious reward for my efforts. I've always had chicken legs, to the point that I look ridiculous trying to wear tennis shoes with shorts, but I have gained a bit of muscle over the last year and plan on really defining them over the next 2 months. Since I met my first goal of 2009, to run a 5K in under 30mn, I am on to the next... be in a bikini by summer! Today I woke up and bright sun crept through my blinds, as I realized the weather is warming up it also occured to me that I have 3 months to meet that goal! I refuse to diet, choosing instead to try to eat in moderation, and cook good healthy foods. I really feel that if I don't binge, and stick to this training regimen, I will be shopping far away from the Mommy-One-Pieces I have learned to hide in. Not that my 1 piece isn't cute!!

Don't even ask!

Pasadena Marathon 5k 29:41!

I dragged my husband and kids all the way to Pasadena at 5am today for the inaugural Pasadena Marathon. Remind me to never attend an inaugural race again. It was so ridiculously unorganized, they put the wrong directions on the information sheets! Only 10 porta potties for 8000 people! Paul and the kids stood with me in the rain for an hour as we waited for the race to start, but as soon as they called for the 5K racers to line up I sent them to the van to wait. They ran into the dark with chattering teeth and I headed to the start line alone. I quickly scanned the race bibs people wore and aligned myself with a few girls who had 5K race bibs tacked to their shirts so I would know when to start. After a few minutes they started moving forward, and slowly I saw the race crowd start to move. Heads bobbed above the plastic trash bags the experienced racers knew would keep them warm until the race, discarded in careless piles along the road as the runners broke out from the pack. Annoying road-hogging walkers who should have just done the 5K fun run and been behind us turned the starting line into an obstacle course, weaving and cutting for the first half mile slowed me down and gave me a chance to warm up. Suddenly I saw a break in the crowd and took off running. My body quickly warmed but my thick CTF hoodie felt great with the wind chill cooling my exposed skin. I hit the first mile marker and did what I always do, I looked around me for the thickest calves and tried to hold my pace to their's as they pounded the pavement, the runner's face invisible to me as I matched their gait. One by one they either disappeared in front or behind me, and soon I reached the turnaround. There was no mile marker for mile 2, or clocks on the course! I shook it off and focused on breathing deeply, congestion threatening my oxygen intake, but with such a short race you can't lose time worrying about breathing. You just run, balls out, hard, until you see the finish and then throw everything in you into that last quarter mile. Legs slamming hard into the empty road, spectators flashing by in splashes of color, smile for the camera and... it's over! As quickly as it started, it has ended, and you find yourself in a crowd of runners. I put my arms above my head and sucked in the cold air, took the snacks from the volunteers to give to the kids and poured water down my burning throat. I wore my medal proudly as I walked past the festival finish line and went straight to the car, where my own little congratulatory crew awaited. I was met with kisses and hugs, and a trip to Coco's! I had to wait all day for my official stats and am very happy with them!


Overall: 216 out of 748
Women: 91 out of 472
F 25-29: 19 out of 80
Finish: 29:41 Pace: 9:33

I am stoked I am 19th out of 80 for my age group! That is better than I have ever scored. Next stop, a sub 1 hour 10K!

5K in 29 minutes!

Check one goal off of my New Years resolution list! Today I ran 3.1 miles, a 5K, in 29 minutes!! Thats about a 9 1/2 mn mile held for just over 3 miles! I am so proud of myself to reach my first speed goal. I hate to pat myself on the back, but just this once, I need to. Sure as I stumbled to a halt at the spot www.MapMyRun.com told me would be 3.1 miles from my starting place, my lungs ached and my legs burned. I dry heaved for about 5 minutes, then tasted blood every time I spit. I got a bit dizzy and felt completely detached from my surroundings as I walked back home. As I spit out more nausea and held my arms over my head to get some oxygen to my side stitches, I was smiling like a lunatic... a lunatic with weakness on the entire left side of my body and bilateral deafness and balance issues who just ran 3 miles in 29 minutes! I have cause to celebrate but this is only a training run, so I need to slow my proverbial roll and stick to the schedule for one more week. Next Sunday I'll run the Pasadena 5K and plan to finish even faster!

New Training Schedule
Yoga after each session

Tuesday- Cross Train (elliptical or swimming for 45mn)and weight training
Wednesday- 5k Tempo Run
Friday- Intervals on treadmill, 4 miles w/ 8x400 @ 7.5mph and weight training
Sunday- Long Run, work up to 20 miles every Sunday!

With this schedule I know I will continue to meet every goal set!

Bearing the Burden of Fear

Let's cut to the chase, Paul went back to court yesterday to face charges stemming from the bar fight he was in and met the public defender. He was arraigned for assault with intent to great bodily harm, and plead not guilty. He was told the maximum punishment would be 7 years in state prison, but the DA already offered him 1 year in county if he takes a felony. The PD (public defender) advised him not to take that, and they are all working together to make a deal. Paul has already told the PD he would accept house arrest with a misdemeanor charge, but the PD told him to hold off on anything for now. So for now we wait, which has to be the hardest part. On one hand I want as much time with Paul as possible, on the other I want all of this behind us. Sometimes I manage to go as long as a week pretending everything is normal, then I will be faced with a sudden reminder and the entire facade comes crashing down. It doesn't help that Paul still refuses to treat this seriously, and actually thinks this is no big deal. He is convinced nothing will come of it, and that he will walk away unscathed, which would be the story of his life to be fair. Things usually fall in Pauls favor, but I just need him to admit that this time it may not be that easy. I need him to bear the burden of fear with me, but I just don't see him validating my concerns unless he is forced to.

Now I am supposed to go for my last long run before my 5k in 2 weeks, but I just don't feel like it. Someone give me some motivation!

5K Training

Hey Google Ads... can't you read? I do not have a toenail fungus! My toenail fell off after being rubbed by my shoe for 20 miles a week for the last year. So why is there a laser toe fungus removal ad on my page? Not exactly what I assumed would happen when I signed up for ad-sense.

Speaking of running... I ran 2 miles in 19 minutes yesterday and was elated until Miena told me they run 2 in 17 in the army. I am just not a naturally fast runner. I can chug along just fine for long distances, but carrying a 10 mn pace past the first mile has eluded me as of yet. The last couple of weeks as I have been training for the Pasadena Marathon 5K I have been totally focused on speed. I have been running fartleks, intervals, pace runs, and still long runs on the weekend to keep up my mileage. I remember when running at 6mph on the treadmill was scary, and now I am running at 7.5 for short bursts of speed. When I step off the treadmill at the gym I feel strong and I know I will finish that 5K under 30 mn at the least!

I finally have my post-op today! I plan on getting approval to start running again! I am not sure if it will hurt but I don't really care, I'll run anyway. My training plan this time is to get a good solid hill run in once a week on top of my regular long runs and quick runs. There is a great hill right by me, heading up Vineyard next to Redhill, then the little streets turning up from there all are short steep little hills. I'll run them until I can make it up without stopping.

Next week I am getting a video phone! I met Bill at my ASL group, he said his wife reads my blog (hi!) and told me about how VPs can help deaf people communicate better and emote more than relay conversations. Now I just need someone to call, who else has a videophone?

I Ran Long Beach!

I'm home already! It was a long 2 days!

The Hyatt was so gorgeous and we had a beautiful view!

It felt great to escape for a couple of days with Paul and meet the Children's Tumor Foundation NF Endurance Team! All of the people I met were absolutely wonderful, and it was inspiring to see so many come together for a common cause. I was the only person with NF2 there, but CTF did an awesome job organizing everything, and everyone was so determined and had only good intentions.

I met this girl Jenny who has NF2 but was told she has NF1 and NF2, which isn't really possible! She is the sweetest thing and I will definitely be keeping in touch with her!

The course was beautiful and I passed the time thinking about the long NF2 journey so many of my family and friends have suffered through. I realized that without NF2 my life would be completely different, and I love my life, so what is is what is meant to be. I prayed and envisioned my Mom hugging me at the finish. I know she would be so proud. No, I don't believe she was watching. I can't stand to think she may still be attached to this life, she is somewhere so very far away from all of the pain of this world. But today a small piece of her ran 13 miles!

I have video of my "big" finish and will get it posted as soon as I can, blogspot wont let it load right now!



Paul was incredibly supportive, as always, and helped out with anything he could. He really motivates me to be a better person and while I was running I found myself praying. I was just giving thanks to God for all of my blessings, and I know Paul is a wonderful blessing in my life. He's pretty lucky to have me too of course! He is out helping a friend right now but has promised me a leg rub, glass of wine, and Desperate Housewives tonight! How lucky can a girl be?

My Daz came!!! He is really into sports so I loved knowing I made him proud by finally being athletic at something! I didn't even trip! He seemed really interested in the race and said 19,000 people raced, including an 80 year old man!

To top it all off Paul bought me a beautiful cloche with a bow at the hat store! What did you all really think I had left my girlie side behind?

Thank you so much to everyone who donated and supported me! This is the beginning, not the end!! I plan to run the half marathons in:

Las Vegas, December 7, 2009
Surf City Huntington Beach, February 1, 2009
Rock'N'Roll Marathon San Diego, May 31st, 2009
San Francisco Marathon, July 26th, 2009


I will only actively fundraise once a year, but donations for NF2 research are always gratefully welcomed. You can visit CTF for more information!

Starting off the week...

Saturday I couldn't finish my 10 miles on the treadmill! I've been running or walking uphill everyday this week, it finally took its toll on me. I was exhausted trying to keep going after 5 miles, around 7 I finally just stopped. I hate that feeling, I failed to achieve my short term goal. I'll make up for it next weekend with a solid 11 miles on the street, no more long runs on treadmills. It is too boring, my mind runs in circles and I just can't get into a rythm...





This weekend was so fun! Saturday night a bunch of my friends joined me to party it up at a local club. We drank, danced, and ran around all night. We closed that place down and Paul dragged me to the car and got me home safe. Yesterday we did nothing alllll day, which is the best way to spend a Sunday.

Now it's time to start the week, off to playschool, then a playdate... then shopping, cleaning, baking, then cooking, more cleaning, some serving, baths and bedtime, a little more cleaning.... then I will finally relax!

What if Megan Fox did wear Spanx?

I hate Megan Fox. Seriously, who looks like that? I have to constantly remind myself she has not pushed out 2 perfect and beautiful children, but something tells me if she ever does she will still look gorgeous doing it. Ok so I am being a hater, too bad, we all do it sometimes. At least I'm hating on a celebrity and not someone I know! I did a quick 2 miles at Redhill Park this morning, which has a couple nice little hills to push the stroller up. Then I headed to the gym and got on the elliptical until I had burned 500 calories, I pushed and it took about 40 minutes. Headed upstairs for strength training and was doing great until I was summoned by the child care girl to change a dirty diaper. Mica was not about to go back at that point so we are at home, and I'm sucking down lots of protein. Only 2 days until my birthday party and my little red dress, something tells me I will be wearing spanx. I don't think Megan Fox ever has to wear spanx, another reason I hate her...

Another Hill?

This morning I took Mica to her 45 minute playschool class and took off on a run. I raced down a local 1 mile hill then ran straight back up. It was a pretty steep hill so I felt a real sense of accomplishment as I jogged back to pick up Mica! I also wrote a letter for my fundraiser today to snail mail out to my contacts who are not online. Yes these people exist! No it's not my Nani, who is online all the time and plays casino games daily! Here is the letter, although I have raised my goal amount of $3000, I am still pushing to raise as much as possible in the next couple of weeks as I count down to my first fundraising race at Long Beach...

"Dear Friend or Family member,

As you probably know I was born with NF2, a genetic disease that causes tumors to grow throughout my brain and spine. The disease has left me deaf… I can no longer sit around a table and talk with my family… I have not heard music in 5 years, my head is filled with ringing and silence… I have never heard either of my children laugh…

NF2 has also put me through several difficult and painful surgeries. Worse, it has taken my Grandma Norma, Uncle Eric and Mom from me all at unbearably young ages. Even my son JT suffers from the disease already, he was born blind in his right eye. The only way to give JT and me a healthy future is to support research into drug therapies to stop the tumor growth associated with this horrible genetic disease.

Often times when family is afflicted with a painful disease we don't know what to do. We want to help, but don't know how.

The Children's Tumor Foundation is a great cause which focuses on finding a cure for NF2. We are very close to finding a drug therapy that can extend my life and give us true hope for a healthy future.

The NF Marathon Team is one of the tools the CTF employs to raise money. There are hundreds of runners participating in races all over the country. There are people with NF as well as family and friends on our team. I have been training and running for the past 6 months in preparation for the Long Beach marathon on October 11th, I will run 13.1 miles for a cure! I am asking you now to join me by donating in my name to CTF. Every little bit helps, and JT and I are forever grateful to all our friends and family who join us in our fight. Donating is easy, just write a check to "Children's Tumor Foundation" and return it with the attached slip in the pre-paid envelope!

Thank you all so much for your support, you can follow my progress as I run for NF2 at http://www.fabulousrunningmommy.blogspot.com/.

Love to All,

Olivia Hernandez and Family"