There are TWO Memorial Bridges in DC.

So I know it's been a while since I posted, so I apologize for that.

First of all, THANK YOU to everyone who is generously donating. I am just about 50% to my goal of $3000!!!!

Things are not only going well with the fundraising, but I am FINALLY back to running!!! It has been VERY hard for me in Physical Therapy, but I am seeing so much progress over the last two-three weeks, that I am running three times a week, with minimal pain. Although I am behind in my training, I have faith that with the cardiovascular endurance I have from cycling, I will be able to get back on track very quickly.

Speaking of training, I've been running with Colleen and boy, did we have an expereince today!!! For those of you who don't know Colleen, I like to think of her as my partner in crime. She lives next door to Tom's brother and we are both doing TNT and running the Nashville Marathon, so it only makes sense that we run and fundraise together (we are doing a Super Bowl pool so if you want to buy a square in the grid, they are $15 each - let me know).

Anyway, this morning we decided to run together - a nice 4 mile run, no biggie. So remembering a run I did back with Sal, reversed it and started out across the key bridge and went down through Georgetown and rock creek parkway and things were great. Then, we went over the bridge... THE WRONG BRIDGE. Seriously, DC has WAYYY to many Memorial Bridges.

We ended up standing in the middle of a 4-way intersection with rush hour cars going by. So we walked down the hill, up another hill (another intersection) and then down a different hill only to end up on the WRONG side of the GW parkway. It was like frogger gone bad.

Knowing there was no way in HELL we were going to cross the GW, we scaled a fence, hiked up the woods (yes, woods) and ended up on 66, right by the Key Bridge exit (I think it was 66) ... so we RAN on the side of 66 (I really hope my mom isn't reading this because she might ban me from running) to the toe-path where we finally got back to our car... PHEW.

Needless to say, I am the idiot that made us go across the wrong bridge... I think I might start carrying a map with me.

We will try another run again on Thursday (hopefully Colleen will still want to run with me :) ) and hopefully I will have another, not so dramatic story to tell.

Anyway, thanks for reading, thanks for donating and THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT!

PS - Big shout out to Jen! I know you are reading this so THANK YOU for your donation and support!!! :)

So... I ran on Saturday and I am not really sure how it went... you see, we got there at about 8 and we stood around in the FREEZING cold for about 45 minutes and THEN decided to run.

Now, granted, I did have my wonderful Under Armour Cold Gear (THANK YOU WAKE FOREST FIELD HOCKEY!), but even with 2 layers on of CG on my legs and three (yes, three) on top, I was still so cold by the time I started running that I couldn't feel much of anything... but I was hurting like hell after I defrosted (about three hours later).

I took Sunday off (unless you call power cleaning your apartment a workout), and then ran again on Monday.... and it still didn't feel very good. I am not feeling very confident about my knee right now, but I know it will get better with time. I feel great today -- and that is AFTER two spin classes this morning (don't tell my PT about that...)

I am going to see how it feels tonight and then run again tomorrow. Maybe I will have some good news -- you never know! :) It is like 70 here so I am itching to be outside.

I also want to thank everyone who has donated so far. I can not tell you how much I appreciate your support... and if you haven't donated yet, please remember to do so -- I need to raise $3000, so every penny helps!

http://www.active.com/donate/tntnca04/SamPerry

Thanks!

The first mile...

So I ran my first mile. And it was just one mile. One stinking little mile. One stinking little cold mile. It wasn't even enough to warm my body up.

But, you have to start somewhere, right?

On a positive note, my knee isn't killing me, which is a good thing. I did ice it after and I've been up and down the stairs quite a few times and I am still alive.

Tomorrow I am going to get back on the bike and actually take a class - -which I am looking forward to. It has been a long time since I've been on the other side of the stereo, which will be nice - I can actually focus on the workout!

I am going to run with the team on Saturday morning. Hopefully I won't get too depressed as my team runs eight miles, while I putter out a measly two... but again, you have to start somewhere -- and as it says in my PT office "It Takes Time"

The beginning... sort of.

So I've never really been one to post, or read blogs, but I figure since people are donating their hard-earned money to my marathon, I would give them a chance to follow along with my progress, rather then just get an email at the end saying I finished... so here it is, a blog about my marathon training.

I guess I should start by explaining WHY I decided to do this -- it wasn't like I just woke up one day and said, hey, let's run a marathon. I have to say I got very inspired by three of my friends -- Allison from ECU, her hubby Luck and my buddy Sammy -- they all ran the Marine Corps marathon and I figured that if they can finish a marathon, so can I. I thought about it and figured I needed a new challenge. Running has never come natural to me, not like swimming or cycling. I wanted something that I will have to work at and something that will push me. I wanted to do something I never thought I would accomplish -- and that is a marathon.

So I found Team in Training and decided to give it a go. I started to train on my own in November and the pre-training with TNT began in December. I was up to about six miles and was starting to (gasp!) enjoy running, when I encoutered a severe pain in my left knee. I went to the doctor and was diagnosed with runner's knee. I've been in physical therapy for the last three weeks and I just got permission to begin running again. Although the running I did before was great, I consider this the beginning of my training.

And now, here I am. Getting ready to start all over. I am going to keep a blog on my training and fundraising here, so now you can track my progress. I am excited for this journey -- I have already met some incredible people through TNT and although I am nervous about what is ahead, I know that it will be great!

Thank you in advance for your support -- I can't begin to tell you how much I appreciate it.

-Sam

"All I wanna do is go the distance. Nobody's gone the distance
with Creed. If I can go that distance, and that bell rings, and I'm still
standin', I'm gonna know for the first time in my life, that I weren't just another bum from the neighborhood."