Eye of the Tiger

It's happened again.  I have another song stuck in my head and this time it's such a cliche that I'm a bit embarrassed.  Eye of the Tiger.  Why, you ask?  Once again, stay with me....



Shaken, Not Stirred took full advantage of the summer nights and enjoyed Martini Monday at the lake while holding a planning session.  Only appropriate, right?  Martini Monday...Shaken, Not Stirred...a no brainer that we had to put those two things together.  As you see below, we even took the opportunity to add a couple of Epilepsy Awareness ribbons to our martinis.

While enjoying the comfort of the sofas on North Harbor's patio and between sipping tasty cocktails and having some good laughs, we went through our fundraising and awareness plans, updated each other on to-do lists and eventually started talking about the actual race.  We even talked about our obligatory "Rocky Run" up the steps and the photos that will follow.



Emily, Ashley, Mari, Sharon, Gatewood, Amanda & Julia



We started talking about travel plans and hotels and what we're going to do while in Philly and post-race champagne and the finish line and...and...and...  So exciting!!!  So much so that as of today, 6 of us have booked our flights!  (God, please bless the people who have to sit in any of the seats around our group on our flights.  We will be those people about which they are saying very non-Christian things.)

At the end of a flurry of emails that were flying around last night regarding flight times and seat assignments, etc., team member Amanda sent an email that said, "Yay!  All booked...playing Eye of the Tiger because I'm so pumped! :)" 



Mari, Sharon & Gatewood



And there you have it. 

It's been in my head since.  All night.  All day. 

Risin' up, back on the street...

Our conversation even went to that very girly place of "What are we going to wear?"  So, I'd like to give an advance "Bless your heart" to Doug, our sole male team member, for the amount of times he's going to hear things like that and for the amount of actual time he's going to have to wait on 8 women to get ready to do anything and everything.  





Gatewood & Julia



Hotel rooms and flights are booked.  Race registrations are complete.  Fundraising and awareness campaigns are in full force.  Watch out, Philly!  Shaken, Not Stirred is headed your way to make a difference and we don't plan on being subtle about it!

More to come.

Running TALL,

Julia

A few reminders:

You can see and support Shaken, Not Stirred at Sweet Frog in Mooresville on Friday, August 3rd.  Please join us for some family fun and a cool treat!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sweet-Frog-Mooresville/141029835976160?ref=ts

Team members and their families will be volunteering at the Stumpy Creek Triathlons on August 4th and 5th.  If you're there, please say hello!  If you want to volunteer, we'll find a spot for you. 

You can sponsor me at the link below.  No amount is too big or too small.  Every penny makes a difference.   https://epilepsytherapyproject.myetap.org/fundraiser/2012PHLMarathon/individual.do?participationRef=3917.0.261802353



I Said a Hip Hop...

Hippie to the hippie to the hip hip hop, you don't stop.

I have had this song in my head all day!  And the reason may or may not make sense but...here goes.

Today Shaken, Not Stirred announced our first fundraising event!!!  Sweet Frog Premium Frozen Yogurt in Mooresville has generously agreed to donate a portion of their sales for the evening of Friday, August 3rd to the team in support of the Epilepsy Therapy Project.

Sweet Frog...frogs...hopping...hip hop...hip hip hop, you don't stop.  Sugar Hill Gang.  In my head.  All.  Day.

Back to the fundraiser...and a ton of family fun!

Please come out and support the team and the project.  Bring your kids, your friends, your kids' friends, your family, your neighbors...we'll turn it into a block party.  I'd love for you to meet the team and their families.  It's an amazing group of people and I have no doubt that you'll see why I'm proud to call them my friends.  As an added bonus, Gatewood's son, Justin, and his band have agreed to provide the evening's entertainment.

Sweet Frog:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sweet-Frog-Mooresville/141029835976160?ref=ts

Shaken, Not Stirred:  https://epilepsytherapyproject.myetap.org/fundraiser/2012PHLMarathon/individual.do?participationRef=3917.0.261802353

On a hot, August Friday night...how yummy will Sweet Frog be?  Join us, won't you?

...a rock it to the bang bang boogie say up jump the boogie to the rhythm of the boogie, the beat...

Running TALL,

Julia

BTW, those lyrics may not be 100% correct, but you get the point.  The song is over 30 years old...and easily confused.  

You Just Never Know...

Just a quick little story...

As you know, I'm running with Shaken, Not Stirred to raise money and awareness for the Epilepsy Therapy Project.   Throughout this process, Gatewood has repeatedly told the team that there are many, many people suffering from epilepsy in silence - something I couldn't really wrap my mind around.  But yesterday my eyes were opened a bit. 

I posted a link to my ETP fundraising page on Facebook to let folks know that while Shaken, Not Stirred is about 1/3 of the way to our goal, we have a long way to go and need help getting there.  A few minutes later, I received an email telling me that I'd received a sponsorship.  Yay!  I opened the email and looked at the name associated with the sponsorship and it took me a few minutes to figure out who it was. 

And then it hit me. 

Her name is Wendy - I'll leave you with only her first name for the sake of privacy.  She was a year ahead of me in high school and we played rec basketball together a gazillion years ago.  The notification I received used her married name which also threw me off.  Wendy attached a note to her donation that said, "As a teen I had epilepsy, I hope everyday that I've grown out of it! Thank you!"  I sat and stared at my computer screen in shock.  I knew Wendy.  I played ball with Wendy.  I went to school with Wendy.  I had no idea she suffered from epilepsy.  Gatewood was right.  People suffer silently.  You just never know...

I haven't been able to get Wendy and others like her off my mind.  I've been pretty fired up about this run and raising awareness.  Wendy stoked the fire.  I thought Gatewood was the only person I know who is living with (or lived with) epilepsy.  Tomorrow morning, when I go out for my weekly long run (at the ungodly time of 5:30 a.m....OMG!), it will be with the Wendys of the world in my mind.

Wendy:  Thank you for your donation, thank you for your support and thank you for sharing.  You'll be on my mind when I cross the finish line in November!

Giggles for us all:  I've included a most embarrassing photo of our rec basketball team.  I won't put Wendy on blast by pointing her out.  And if you can't figure out which one is me, all the better.  But in a world of serious topics and causes, a laugh never hurt anyone, right?  Lord help '80s middle school awkwardness.  And it's worth noting that I was a metal mouth then...just as I am now!  Ha!

More to come...

Running TALL,
Julia

Hell Hath No Fury...

Hell hath no fury...like Mother Nature on the first weekend in July in the South.  

Holy hell, Batman.  104 degrees in Charlotte this weekend.  That's not a typo.  One.  Zero.  Four.    

But guess what?  I still had to run.  And I did.  I just started at earlier.  I can't say that it wasn't a struggle.  My alarm went off and I looked up with one eye and with blurred vision I saw that the time started with a 4.  A FOUR!!!  Pure insanity for this Tall Girl.  

But I got up and got moving and headed to meet my running buddy, Kim.  We run about the same pace and use the same intervals so it's a nice fit.  And there's always good conversation which is a treat.  I crossed the finish line of my first marathon with Kim and can still see it in my mind.  One of the best hand slaps/high fives of my life.  

We decided to start at 5:30.  The majority of the group started at 6:00.  As you can see from the screen shot, it wasn't exactly cool at 5:30.   Less than a mile into our run, I could feel the heat building and the sweat running.  I actually don't mind running in the heat.  All the sweating makes me feel like I'm doing something.  But when it's dark and you're sweating, you know it's gonna get bad quickly.  

Our running group has been running the same routes for years and years.  I've been running them for 6 years and others for longer.  We've had water stops at the same places and the folks in the neighborhoods know they're going to see us every Saturday morning.  We assign responsibility for waterstops on a quarterly rotation.   For example, every Saturday, I put out a bucket filled with ice and water and various flavors of a sports beverage along with cups and a trash bag for the used cups.  We have them strategically placed so that every 2-3 miles, a runner can hydrate.  

Recently, there's been a nasty little trend.  People are stealing our waterstops!  Can you imagine?  You're on mile 8 of your long run and get to the waterstop to find...nothing.  That can seriously mess with a runner's head and more importantly, it's unsafe.  Dehydration can hit a runner like a Mack truck and if not handled quickly and properly, no bueno.   The hard and fast rules of endurance sports include (but are not limited to): if you feel thirsty or hungry, you're too late.  You have to stay ahead of hydration and fuel.  That's hard to do when your supplies are stolen!

With a little creativity, I thought perhaps I'd pull at the heart strings of the community thieves and made signs for each waterstop.  The general message is: 1. we appreciate the support, waves and smiles from the community; 2. the runners using these waterstops are raising funds for epilepsy and cancer awareness; 3. for the safety of the runners, please do not steal our beverages; and 4. the community's support is vital for the success of the group.  We managed to go a day with no waterstops being taken and despite the crazy temperatures, we all stayed hydrated.  Let's hope this continues!

I got a nice 7-mile run in on Saturday.  It was a decent long run considering I'd gone three weeks without a real run.  As for cross training, I went to a hot power yoga class this morning.  It was actually called "Shake Your Asana" because it was power yoga to upbeat music.  But let's be clear, I wasn't shaking anything.  I have to concentrate way too hard (on not falling over or out while getting into tortuous poses) to shake anything.  Well, unless you count shaky muscles.   And for those of you who think that yoga is just breathing and putting your foot behind your head, that couldn't be more untrue.  I was literally dripping sweat.  Hair drenched, clothes drenched in sweat.  Gross?  Yes, no doubt.  But there was no mistaking that I was working my Asana off in that class and it felt GREAT!

Once again, let me brag on our Team!!!  Shaken, Not Stirred made it to print.  In the Lake Norman section of the Charlotte Observer, we were on the front page...and page nine.  I am so proud to be associated with these people and even more proud of Gatewood for sharing a huge, very personal part of her life to improve the lives of others.  I've included a link to the article and to my fundraising page below.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/06/29/3345881/shaken-not-stirred.html

https://epilepsytherapyproject.myetap.org/fundraiser/2012PHLMarathon/individual.do?participationRef=3917.0.261802353

Hope you guys had a great weekend.  I did.  Any weekend that starts with a good run and ends with causes and people I care about making the news and spreading awareness, is a really good weekend.

More to come.

Running TALL,

Julia

Shaken, Not Stirred...the Sunday Edition

Brief entry tonight because I've got to nourish this body and get to bed!  Because of these crazy temperatures, we're starting our long run at 5:30!  IN THE MORNING!!! 


Anyhoo, just wanted to share this link which is an article that, barring any craziness in the world, should be in this Sunday's Charlotte Observer.  Proud to be associated with these folks.  

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/06/29/3345881/shaken-not-stirred.html

Running for Gatewood

I'm starting a new adventure.  I'm running to raise funds for the Epilepsy Therapy Project.  I won't get into all of the details here but you can find them on my ETP page listed below.

https://epilepsytherapyproject.myetap.org/fundraiser/2012PHLMarathon/individual.do?participationRef=3917.0.261802353

I've run 4 marathons and 15 half marathons since I started running 6 years ago.  And I'll gladly admit to you that I'm quite proud of crossing every finish line even though some finishes weren't very pretty - and one even involved the ugly cry.  What I'm not proud of is giving myself a gazillion excuses for cutting my training runs short, not getting my cross training in, hitting the snooze button on Saturday mornings when I should have gotten up for long runs, etc., etc., etc., blah, blah, blah. 

I've learned a lot about my body and about running in the last six years and it's time that I combine that knowledge with discipline for a cause that is close to my heart.  I'm running with and for my dear friend, Gatewood, who has been diagnosed with Epilepsy as a result of a slip and fall.  As such, I feel I owe it to Gatewood to do it the right way.  Gatewood deserves my best.  And honestly, so do I.

It's been three weeks since my last race and I've given myself a little break.  I've only run once - partly because my son's summer schedule kicked which is even more active than his school year schedule (if you can believe that) and partly because I've been a bit lazy!  I can assure you that at the end of a day of swim camp, Little Mister is little less than interested in tagging along for a 40 minute run and I've let that be my excuse.

As such, I've started setting the clock for earlier times.  Those of you who know me, know that mornings are NOT my thing.  But with temperatures in the 100s and little to no desire to run at the end of the day of a work day, it's time to make some changes.  Cross training and runs have to happen early.  Lord, help me... 

I hope you'll join me on this journey and support not only my desire to do my best for my friend, but also a very worthy cause.  I'll post my various stories and adventures - both good and bad, running related and otherwise - and pictures along the way.  In the meantime, click the link.  I think it's self explanatory, it's worth reading and will only take 2 minutes of your time.

I thank you in advance for your support.  I will appreciate your comments and advice along the way.  

Running TALL,
Julia 

Julia, Mari, Ashley, Gatewood, Sharon & Emily