Why??

So many people ask me "why a marathon?" 
This weekend I was in Salt Lake City and needed to run 14 miles so I googled running clubs, picked one and ran with a new group of 'friends', one of the runners asked "why did you decide to run a marathon?"  The answer I usually give is "because I can't climb Mt Everest" I've thought a lot about that question the past 2 days and I think right now the reason I'm doing this goes back a long way maybe it's time you all heard my story.


May 2007 sitting at the park watching my boys play, my sister calls, which is nothing unusual we talked almost everyday, but she is bothered by something I can tell. She tells me that AmyLynne, her 4 year old daughter has had blood in her urine. Well that means a kidney infection right? They were coming to Preston for the weekend because Dylan was being baptized,  'just run her in here for a quick check'. No infection go and see your regular Dr. when you get home. Well after 3 weeks of  'let's do an xray' 'can't really see anything' 'what about an ultra-sound' and finally KL just saying do a CT scan. AmyLynne has cancer. For more on her story visit www.caringbridge.org/visit/amylynne


I watched from the sidelines as an aunt to this sweet little girl, doing whatever I needed to do to help, at times not sure what to do, trying to be strong when KL would ask me the hard questions,"do you think she will die?" Then being at home and letting out the tears and frustrations that I felt for them. 
We came across the Pablove bike across America, they dedicated one day to AmyLynne, looking at their website I saw that they had a team for the LA marathon, I had run some 5k's and thought maybe I could participate in the 10k. 
Then as late Sept turned into early Oct I realized I could easily run a 10k.  AmyLynne had done things that were NOT easy, I needed to do something hard for her, for me, for her family, for KayLynne, for all the children that have to go through this.  We saw and heard of miracles almost everyday not only with AmyLynne but with so many others. AmyLynne passed away October 9, 2010 after a fight worth running a marathon for.


Utah valley marathon is 100% charitable for "Christmas for Families with kids with Cancer"


I have witnessed those I love and care about doing hard things and if this will make something hard become easy for someone else I will do it.

Why am I running a marathon? Because, it is HARD

Blood sweat and tears......minus the blood:)

I have a couple of very disturbing items to discuss today.....


First Blisters

Yes I know I have such beautiful feet, but if you will look beyond that you will notice the very sore blisters on my feet, they hurt so bad I was unable to wear any shoes for 2 days and could hardly walk.  I have since gone through 2 pairs of shoes to find some that will not hinder my running.  I have gotten advise from many to say that this is now just a part of my life ENJOY!!! But then again others say that there is no reason for blisters, oh what to do. I'm to the point that I'm thinking I will just have to put up with them, maybe I will give them names:) I run 14 miles this weekend I will let you know how it goes with Romeo and Juliet???

Next comes the horrible demise of my very favorite sweats.  If you have been with me from the beginning you will remember as I was running and I popped one of my buttons so I had to run the last mile home holding up my pants? Well I simply used a safety pin because they were my favorite sweats.  Sadly the other button gave way, I have since searched far and wide for anything similar to no avail, I'm thinking that 7 years is too long to own a pair of sweats or at least I need to buy 2 pairs, if I ever find something I love so much again!!




Only 9 more weeks to go:0