60 Incredible Miles in 3-Days

Friday, May 6, Relay for Life @ Johns Creek High School

2011-05-06T06:50:00.002-04:00

Tonight I will participate in the Relay for Life @ Johns Creek High School. This is the first time I've done the Relay. I'm walking with the ladies from the AJWC (Alpharetta Junior Women's Club).

Opening Ceremonies begin at 6:30 PM.

Post 3-Day – Zooma 5K

2010-11-13T12:39:00.001-05:00

What a blast we had walking the Zooma 5K in 30 +/- degree weather on Saturday, November 6. The event was held at the beautiful Chateau Elan in Braselton, Georgia. It was sooo cold. Brrrr... Maybe that's how I managed by best time so far!

I finished in 52:37. I was proud. FROZEN, but very proud. :)

Thanks to Dawn, Kelly & Lolly for encouraging me to sign up and join them! It was a great time ladies. And I really enjoyed having a girls' night and morning out! ;)

These ladies were WAY faster than me. But I'll get there one of these days! ;)

Dawn

Kelly

Lolly

And it's mine and Andrew's 6th year Wedding Anniversary today. Happy Anniversary baby luv! ;) HUGS!

I'm a Tutu! ;)

2010-11-04T03:12:00.000-04:00

Woohooo!!!

I'm officially a 2011 member of the Tutus for Tatas. This year will be pretty sweet! :) Yay. Thanks Tutus for inviting me to join and making me one of you! ;)

60 Incredible Miles in 3-Days!

2010-11-03T19:59:00.153-04:00

WOW!

What an awesome weekend! It truly was the most incredible 60 miles I've EVER walked! Much less in such a short time span. And YES, in case you're wondering... I DID walk ALL 60 miles! ;) And I had a blast!

At Closing Ceremonies, we learned that Atlanta raised more than $6.1 million. WOW! And there were about 2300 walkers including 235 men. :) Hopefully, Andrew will be one of them next year! ;)

Closing Ceremonies @ Turner Field, Sunday, October 24, 2010

A recap of my journey...
It was amazing. It was so much fun! AND... It was very hard... Especially the last day... My blistered feet wanted to win the battle, but I was so determined to keep going. My friend and teammate, Charlene was an awesome support to me on Sunday. I couldn't have completed that day without her support. THANK YOU, Charlene! ;)

Me and Charlene on Day 3 at dark-thirty Sunday morning waiting to begin the day...

I am super-excited and have planned to do it again next year with the Tutus for Tatas. Despite my nasty feet! ;) Yay!

Thursday, October 21
Pre-Party (with the Tutus for Tatas) at Lake Lanier Islands Resort

My mom, Carol, my other mom and family-friend, Andrea and my friend and teammate, Grace and I headed to Lake Lanier Islands on Thursday night to avoid traffic and craziness on Friday AM and to enjoy a pre-party with our future team, The Tutus for Tatas at one of the Lake Lanier cabins.

Andrea Terrell and my mom, Carol Johnson

We arrived at the resort about 4:30-5:00 PM. Just in time to settle into our room, say "hi" to some fellow walkers, grab a quick snack and drinks and head to the Tutu Party!

As you can see by the photo above, the atmosphere was festive and everyone was buzzing and very excited about our upcoming walk! ;) It was awesome. I was excited to see a fellow walker whom I'd met at one of the Getting Started meetings earlier in the year, Mary Brickhouse Repine.

Mary Brickhouse Repine (left), Me and Mary's teammate, Caroline (right)

Mom, Andrea, Grace & I met our teammate, Kelly and spent some time in the hotel bar snacking and sharing a couple of cocktails. Then we headed over the cabins to hang with the Tutus. What a crazy bunch! ;) And so much fun! ;)

Bunco monkey with Annie (honorary Tutu)!

Tutus, Melinda and Nancy

We're officially HONORARY Tutus! ;) (Carrie, Grace and Kelly)

We headed back to our room about 10 PM to get some much needed rest. Kelly needed to get up about 4 AM! Yuck. But Grace and I weren't far behind her with our rising time planned for 5 AM. ;) Yuck. Yuck.

Friday, October 22
Day 1 – Opening Ceremonies

We woke up very early, packed our stuff and headed out for a speedy breakfast. Opening Ceremonies started at 7 AM and we had to arrive early to get a good spot. (We didn't plan on all the fun stuff to do before the actual ceremony began!) ;)

After an emotional Opening Ceremony at Lake Lanier, we began our day's journey. We were blessed with a GORGEOUS sunny morning. We traveled through Buford and Sugar Hill. Sugar Hill Elementary School was out to support the walkers. The kids made banners and did cheers and chants. We had lots of community support to keep us going, including Girl Scouts handing out homemade pins.

We met some incredible people along the way and couldn't resist a little fun as we walked!

Camp Life

The last walker just arrived in camp! She gets to raise the camp flag!

After a long day of walking, we gathered at camp, our home away from home for the weekend. We shared dinner and some sang karaoke to their hearts' content!

We showered in a tractor-trailer. But the shower was pretty awesome! ;)

Saturday, October 23
Day 2

We arose early at 6 AM on Saturday morning to another beautiful day, ready to hit the trail. The Cheer Station was filled with supporters and all kinds of homemade goodies for the walkers. Cheerleaders and Girl Scouts came out with smiles and energy. Downtown Duluth was jam packed with supporters and their thunder sticks!

The Cheer Stations just seemed to come at the most perfect time(s)! And the walker-stalkers were awesome! We quickly noticed we were seeing the same people all along, often and daily. They were supportive of us all! Thanks WALKER-STALKERS! You made my day many times over! Even the pups came out to support us!

Here are just SOME of the colorful characters we encountered along our jouney! :)

Some of the wonderful 3-Day CREW!

We couldn't have made the trek safely without our Safety Crew! THANKS guys! ;) And you made it so much fun! ;)

That evening, we gathered back at camp for a Candy Coburn concert (which I sadly missed because I was waiting for the shower. Whah). After the concert, folks found the energy to dance the night away! And they sure had a blast! ;)

A time for rememberance...
I took some time to visit the remembrance tent to reflect on my personal reasons why I was walking this 3-Day Journey and pay homage to my Aunt Janice. I wrote a note in the journal and also a note to my Aunt on the Atlanta remembrance tent.

Sunday, October 24
Day3

We began our final day of walking under beautiful skies, with temperatures reaching 79 degrees. We woke up very early to pack up our gear and tent. Then have a quick hot, final breakfast at camp. Charlene and I caught the 3rd bus to leave the campsite where we were transported down Peachtree Industrial to begin our journey at Chamblee High School.

Later, we took a break at the beautiful Oglethorpe campus. At pit stop 3 we were met with a great photo opportunity, a big pink gingerbread man under the Eiffel Tower. Supporters cheered us on down Peachtree Street and through 17th Street. We had a nice lunch at Georgia Tech. Our incredible journey ended with a celebratory Closing Ceremony at Turner Stadium with our friends and family there to greet us.

These nasty blisters caused me to visit the Medical Crew on Day 3. :( And walking became quite the challenge...

Some more great photos...

Words and photos just don't do justice to fully capture the experience. And what an experience! ;) Thank you for sharing my journey with me!

Closing Ceremonies
Equally as emotional as closing ceremonies for many people and for so many reasons. Personally, I was so proud of what I had accomplished. Surviving all those blisters, miles and not giving up! ;) And raising so much money, both personally, and as as a team (Force of Soles raised more than $16,000)!!

A special thank you to all my donors and donors of our team, Force of Soles. And thank you to each one of my teammates for taking this journey with me. It wouldn't have been the same without you! ;)

To Sally and Terri. I'm so sorry you both were sick and couldn't make it to the event. I thought of you every day and you were in my prayers! We'll get 'em next year! ;)

2010 Force of Soles Team
Carrie Jones, Captain
Sally Godzer, Co-Captain
Charlene Anderson
Kelly Marie Glover (CREW)
Marilee Knellinger
Diane Milak
Terri Pero
Grace Wallett

Tutus for Tatas Supports Force of Soles

2010-10-11T16:56:00.001-04:00

First of all, I want to thank my sister, Michelle and her family for coming out for dinner to support us! And my friends, Becky, JoAnn and Fawn for having lunch and margaritas with us! We had a BLAST with you guys!

And WOW! What a nice suprise to see Tutus, Nancy, Marsha and Ann at On the Border Sunday night! We had such a good time getting to know our fellow 3-Day walkers! They even brought their families who were also awesome! These ladies know how to have fun!!! ;)

We don't yet know how much we raised, but we thank each one of you for your participation! And thank you to On the Border for your support of us and Susan G Komen!

UPDATE:
OTB said we generated $374 in sales; 10% is $37. They kindly rounded it up to $50. NICE!
But what a let down. I had really hoped more peeps would show up and eat lunch or dinner! ;(

Force of Soles Celebrates Tutus for Tatas

2010-10-10T09:21:00.000-04:00

My fellow teammate, Kelly who is Crewing Atlanta this year, met some Tutus. She owns, IT Factor, www.gotitfactor.com, image consulting. The Tutus for Tatas asked Kelly to help with their Taste of Hope 2010 fundraiser on October 9. The event consisted of a fashion show featuring breast cancer survivors and Kelly volunteered to help produce the show and provided the makeup artist for the models. I was invited to attend the event also.

I was overwhelmed when I arrived at The Bridge Church on Braselton Hwy. The positive vibe was immediate upon entering the church. And the ladies were all buzzing around preparing for their guests to soon arrive. There were too many vendors to count each offering a percentage on their days sales back to the Tutus. Then, Kelly took me back stage to introduce me to the some of the models and some of the Tutus. The models were so excited to be participating in this event. A few told me they were nervous, but they didn't show it.

I spent some time visiting the various booths and meeting many Tutus and attendees alike. I would up spending a small fortune of my own by the time the day ended... :) ooops... But, it's for a good cause right, honey!? heehee

Finally, it was time for the fashion show portion of the event. WOW... What a grand event! There was a very professional slide presentation running in the background and the host was very entertaining while he introduced each model. And along with Barb, the Captain (and founder) of the Tutus who described each model's attire. It was a great time.

Then, time for the cry fest! They put a beautiful presentation together to honor those who have been lost to breast cancer. They modified Maya Angelo's "We Speak Your Name". It was very moving... At the end, the audience was asked to stand up and honor our own lost soul... I stood up and proudly spoke, Janice Warren. Tears...

Thanks so much Tutus for allowing me to honor my aunt Janice. :)

Force of Soles Fundraiser - Sunday, October 10

2010-10-10T08:41:00.000-04:00

Please join us for lunch or dinner at Fiesta For the Cure at On the Border in Alpharetta, GA. The event will last all day. OTB will donate 10% of your food and drink purchases to Susan G Komen on behalf of our team, Force of Soles!

We'll be there ALL day beginning at 11:30 today! Come see us!!!!

Training, Sunday, October 3 – 12 miles

2010-10-03T23:57:00.000-04:00

Today, was Day #2 of our attempt to manage two back-to-back training walks to see what it's all about and test our gear.

We walked the same loop as yesterday, twice to total 12 miles today.

What I learned today was that I NEED new insoles! I just bought these not too long ago and didn't realize how quickly I would wear them out after putting in some SERIOUS mileage! :) WOW... Now I have to buy TWO sets of these to make it through 3-Day! I'd thought I could get away with only one... But they're too critical for my endurance... WOW!

I also learned that a nasty blister can BLISTER on itself! Ewww!!! I will be purchasing a case of mole skin! I sure hope it works as well as folks claim! ;) I see some "hot spots" trying to form also... And I'll need some serious sockage! ;) I need lots of stuff, too... But it scares me to think about that tonight... And I'm sooo pooped!

Speaking of which... After walking 33 miles in the past day and a half... Surprisingly, I feel OK. I was really tired when I got home and my feet were really BARKING! Now that I've rested, overall, I feel pretty good! My buttocks are still sore, but not too bad... And my feet are "normal" again... At least they stopped barking. The blisters are another story... ;)

I was slow today which has me worried... And it took me a while to wake up and consequently speed up, but eventually I did (about the time the day ended). which was weird...

Gonna do another 20 miles next Saturday. And Sunday is the Give Back at On the Border so we can't plan a crazy, long walk anyway... ;)

All-in-all, I do feel pretty well prepared for the 3-Day... And I never really thought I ever say that! ;) Training is an extremely important step! ;)

Training, Saturday, October 2 – 20 miles baby!

2010-10-02T21:21:00.000-04:00

Today was a BIG deal! My teammate, Grace and I tackled our first 20 miles! WOW! I can't believe how proud of myself I am!!! And am surprised by how good I feel! Really curious how tomorrow will go down. But today, I feel amazing considering we walked more than 20 miles today! 21 to be more exact, but who's really counting anyway? OK, ME! But... :)

We walked in Martin's Landing subdivision where Grace lives. We thought the hills (which felt more like mini-mountains by the 2nd and 3rd trek around) would be great training ground... OK... My butt hurts, but it's nothing like last weekend after Sunday's 15 mile day (more than 1/2 of that in the rain)!

The day now feels like a blur... And it seems ages ago that we did this! haha! Either I'm getting old or I'm more tired than I give myself credit for! ;) But then again, it was HOURS ago! ;)

We started out about 8:30-9:00 AM... A little late really (but that was my fault – long week, ugh). And our journey began... It started great with a nice, steep downhill incline where when we finally reached the bottom, we were followed by two small kitties for a little ways... Thank God we didn't have to take them back home! It was beginning to look like maybe we would!

Then, we headed out of the subdivision and down Riverside Drive along the Chattahoochee River, up Eves Road (where we encountered the first of many, up hill climbs on a mini-mountain!) and turned back into the subdivision via Eves Circle and up and down a series of mini-mountain hills back to Grace's place to complete the first 6 miles... Time for a break! ;)

There were also a couple of potty breaks/rest stops mid-walk which veered us on/off course a few times (the walk took us out of our way roughly 1/4 mile round-trip each stop).

Break was a great time to rest, eat a sandwhich, change/adjust footwear, dress blisters, etc. Then, back out to tackle the same loop for the next 6 miles to complete our first 12! ;)

For the next half of our journey, we decided to break it up by walking 4 miles down the mini-mountain, past the kitties, to the lake and around and back.

Two rounds of this completed our day which totalled 21 miles!

At the end of the day, I inherited a few blisters and sore buttocks. :)

And not to forget the two fabulous ladies we met today! Once at the tennis center on Eves. There we met Sarah from Top Shelf. Sarah was wearing her SGK T-Shirt which caught my attention and I HAD to speak to her! Sarah tells us she is/was walking TWO SGK walks this year! You go girl! One was in Chicago. And with us in Atlanta. We'll be looking for you lady! She was great to talk with and we learned some fabulous tips from her! ;)

We also met, Sandy with the Miller Zell Souls. We met her at the Riverside Tennis facility. She was awesome and stopped us because she noticed our team shirt! ;) We also learned some great stuff from Sandy, too! ;) We'll keep an eye out for you guys, too! ;)

I'm so amazed how many people are involved in this cause in some way! It touches my soul! :)

Training, Sunday, September 26 – 15 MILER

2010-09-27T08:12:00.002-04:00

Yesterday was quite the experience! I'm so proud to say, Grace and I completed 15 miles training walk today! Quite honestly, I didn't think I could do it! But yay for us!

It started out great. The weather was threatening rain, but no sign yet and according to weather.com, we had a couple of hours to walk before we needed to worry about it. So we began... We walked the Alpharetta Greenway from Rock Mill to Web Bridge and back for about 6.2+ miles.

When we return to Rock Mill, Grace wanted to break to hit Target to purchase some insoles for more support. So, we hit Target and was planning to hit the trails immediately once again.

Somehow, while in Target, the bottom decided to drop! When we came out, we were bombarded by pouring rain. Yay!

So, we ate our sandwhiches and made the decision to keep on. We'd committed our day to a 15 mile training walk. And by God, we were gonna do it! And 3-Day happens rain or shine, so it'd be a good test for our rain gear!

Turned out that was a good decision! As we began our final 8.8 mile journey (IN THE RAIN), we very quickly learned that while our rain ponchos were great, my shoes were NOT waterproof and very quickly became soggy and miserable! ;( So, we trekked onward...

The plastic is a good theory, but it moved during walking. I've read about trying baggies, so next rainy day, I'll see if those are better.

By the end of that first 3 mile leg, I was soooo miserable and had already developed a blister! Grace very graciously gave up a piece of her plastic rain cover in the hopes of keeping my feet dry for the final 5 miles. I was lucky enough to have a change of socks in my bag which really helped!

The rest of the day was very brutal! We finally made it and boy was I happy to have completed the 15 miles! My feet suffered a couple of blisters, but otherwise, they were good! My buttocks found a new source of pain, however and I worried how that was going to affect the rest of my week. (It did seem to get better the next day! WOW)

This week, I'm back to the downtown area which means, no weekday walks. :( But, next weekend should be another big training weekend!

The big day is only 4 weeks away! WOW!

Training, Saturday, September 25

2010-09-27T08:10:00.000-04:00

So, in the morning, Grace and I walked the Doug Kessler Lightning 10K (6.2 miles), but we wanted to have a FULL 10 mile training day...

So, we came back to her neighborhood and walked around the many hills and lake and was able to complete the missing mileage to finish out the day with a total of 10 miles! ;) Yay for us!

Doug Kessler Lightning 10K, Saturday, September 25

2010-09-27T07:12:00.000-04:00

Sirka, Grace and I at the start of the Doug Kessler Lightning 10K.

The 10K (6.2 miles) started at 8 AM. It was a gorgeous, cool morning. And we were all very excited to get started. I didn't remember to weasel my way toward the front of the line so I wouldn't be so slow compared to all the runners. So, we were off! And I was already lagging... But, as usual, I kept my determination in check and was planning to finish within my two hour window or else!

For the first half of the race, I was walking with a very nice gentleman who just happened to be going that way himself. So we chatted for about 5 miles. He was a former runner enthusiast himself and enjoyed retelling all his past Peachtree Road Race stories. :) I was grateful for the company. At some point, he'd reached his turn off and went about his merry-little-way to leave me to myself to continue onward on my own.

I could BARELY still see some folks ahead of me... But I reminded myself, I'm WALKING... I'm training for 3-Day and was not training to run a marathon. So I kept my steady pace. All the while, rooting for the tortoise! (I was the tortoise!) haha

Finally, I was to about 4 miles in and beginning to feel like there was a light at the end of the tunnel! Yeah! ;) That's when the police officers began asking me to stay to the sidewalks! I checked my watch thinking "there's no way I've been out here longer than 2 hours and only completed 4 miles!" Lo and behold it was only 9:15. The 10K began and 8 and the roads were posted to be closed until 10 AM. So I should be good with TIME to spare! I began to be a wee bit unhappy with the race officiants.

Within about 2 miles, I began to notice the officiants were taking up the street cones and street markers! It's only 9:30! WHAT!? First of all, there is still a participant on the course! And second, it's not 10 AM yet! Ooooo... Feel the fumes.

But I continued to press on and continued to keep my steady pace. I also as nice as I could let them know, it wasn't cool and they stopped removing cones as I passed by!

In the end, I crossed the finish line in 1 hour, 48 minutes! With more than 10 minutes to spare before the roads were to officially reopen. I was seething by this time!

I was proud of myself for keeping my usual, steady 3 mile per hour pace (perfect for 3-Day)! And very happy with my personal time.

But... I WILL NEVER participate in this race again! And the girls tell me they started the same practices with them! (Sirka finished 30 minutes ahead of me and Grace 13 minutes ahead)

Training, Tuesday, September 21

2010-09-22T08:42:00.001-04:00

Our newest team member, Grace and I did a training walk last night. We walked 6 miles on the Alpharetta Greenway. It was a really good walk.

I'm not used to the new darkness schedule and it did get rather dark on those trails on our way back. Those last 2 miles felt endless in the dark woods.

As dusk was rapidly approaching, we came across a snake in the path. I nearly had a heart attack right there on the spot! Have no idea what kind he was. Didn't stop too ask and it was too dark to see. He was NOT there on our first pass through! Ugh. But it definately lit a fire under my toes and made me move a lot faster to get off the trail after that! ;)

Lesson learned! Bring a flashlight! And leave earlier! ;) Still a good walk!

Doug Kessler Lightning 10K, Saturday, September 25

2010-09-21T11:23:00.000-04:00

Anyone up for a 5 or 10K this weekend?

Join me Saturday, September 25 at the Doug Kessler Lightning 10K in Sandy Springs. Hosted by the Sandy Springs Festival, https://www.sandyspringsfestival.com/. 10K race starts at 8 AM. Come out and watch me walk! ;)

I'll be joined by my friend, Sirka and my teammate, Grace. ;)

We proudly WELCOME a new team member!

2010-09-21T11:05:00.001-04:00

It's getting so close! 3-Day is only 5 weeks away! ;)

I'm soo proud to announce our team is growing still. I'd like to welcome GRACE WALLETT to our team. Grace has been steadily training and preparing on her own, but still has to begin her fundraising. So, let's work hard to pull together and help Grace reach her minimum $2300 fundraising goal! ;) GO GRACE!

Like the rest of us, this will be Grace's first year walking 3-Day. But one thing I know about Grace, SHE CAN DO IT! ;) And 5 weeks is PLENTY of time for her to reach her goals! ;) Yay Grace!

If anyone else would like to take on an incredible challenge and join our team (this year or NEXT), please contact me! I'm so excited about this year's event and really looking forward to the year ahead! ;)

The Breast Social Ever! SUCCESS!

2010-09-21T11:00:00.000-04:00

Force of Soles hosted their first fundraising social, Saturday, September 18 @ Yates Sports Pub in Alpharetta. It truly was the BREAST SOCIAL EVER! ;) We had an awesome time.

We started the evening with karaoke by David "Songdragon" Penner! He was a HUGE hit! Everyone was singing, laughing, dancing the night away! I think some were sad his time had ended until the Dead Kegs began to play! Then, WOW, they blew everyone away with their awesome renditions of your favorite hits! The band was ON FIRE that night! ;)

I was so proud. EVERYONE was coming up to me excitedly telling me how much fun they were having and how much they were enjoying the entertainment! ;) Yay!!! I aim to please! ;)

The silent auction was great. And the RAFFLE... We wound up putting some of the items into the raffle because we realized we needed some great raffle items, too! Everyone was THRILLED. Folks were buying raffle tickets like crazy and that was fun. :) At one point, the band helped us give away and pick raffle tickets. This was entertainment in itself! ;) Great job guys! THANKS! ;)

All in all... It was awesome and we raised about $1200. We still need your donations to ensure the entire team walks, but WOW! Thanks so much for joining us and supporting us! ;) Collectively, the team has raised $13,216 for Susan G Komen! I'm so proud!!

Pictures will be posted soon...

Silent Auction Items Received So Far...

2010-09-06T13:54:00.001-04:00

We have some awesome Silent Auction items already!

5 tix for an Atlanta City Tour from ATL Cruzers ($125 value)
$50 gift certificate from Plum Social
Unique Handmade Jewelry from KLH Designs
$25 gift certificate from Carvel Ice Cream
2 Hours from Atlanta Property Matters, Inc., Handyman Services ($110 value)
Beautiful handmade jewelry
Arts and Craft items
and so much more!

Please contact me if you'd like to donate to our silent auction!

The Breast Social Ever! Saturday, September 18 @ Yates Sports Pub

2010-09-06T13:51:00.000-04:00

Look for the event on Facebook or Evite!

Who doesn't love the boobies!?

Force of Soles and
Yates Sports Pub Proudly Present:

THE BREAST SOCIAL EVER!
Social with Silent Auction Fundraiser
Saturday, September 18
To support Susan G Komen For the Cure

$10 Suggested Donation at the Door

Good times, Good food, Great drinks! DOOR PRIZES, MUSIC & MORE!

Hosted by The Force of Soles 3-Day Team
(Carrie, Sally, Charlene, Kelly, Marilee, Diane & Terri), www.the3day.org/goto/forceofsoles/

Doors open at 5 PM featuring
Karaoke by Songdragon

6-9 PM SILENT AUCTION

9-1 AM LIVE MUSIC
"The Dead Kegs"

If you can't attend our event, but would like to donate, please visit our website at www.the3day.org/goto/forceofsoles

Silent auction items are welcome and encouraged! To donate or for more information, please contact Carrie at designaf@mindspring.com, (770) 664-6215 or (404) 219-0062.

We have only 7 short weeks to raise funds so we as a team can walk TOGETHER. Please help us reach our minimum fundraising goals as we walk 60 miles in 3 days for the cure!

Please INVITE ALL your FRIENDS and help SPREAD THE WORD about our EVENT!

Force of Soles Social SCHEDULED – MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

2010-08-30T13:39:00.002-04:00

Our first (and only) team social has finally been planned! ;)

Saturday, September 18Yates Sports Pub
9945 Jones Bridge Road
Alpharetta, GA 30022
5PM–1AM

Stay tuned for details...

Back in the saddle again! ;)

2010-08-20T10:17:00.000-04:00

Hi ya'll!

I have been offline for a few weeks as I went out of town to Marco Island/Naples to help my friend with a remodel! First... I didn't PLAN to be away quite this long... Second... I PLANNED to walk often and daily and continue building my mileage.

I'm finally back! No. We're not finished, but WOW what a difference the place is now! It's looking so great! ;) I'm so excited and proud for my friend, Kathy and her cool, new digs! ;)

My husband, Andrew was quite the busy bee. We tore out a few walls and opened up the kitchen, dining, living room areas. Tiled most of the house. Painting most of the house (not quite finished with this detail). Stained kitchen cabinets, installed kitchen cabinets. And so much more! Whew!

Here's the kitchen BEFORE the wall was removed.

Andrew taking out a section of the wall.

The kitchen AFTER walls were removed... WOW... And the tiling began... Yeah.

Staining... And staining... And staining... Ugh...

A little staining help from our friends... :)

So... I can promise you this! I may not have had much time for "formal" training these past few weeks, but I can promise you this! I got my workout in all the same! :) Unconventional though it was! Between the many, many daily laps around Home Depot and Lowe's, the ladder olympics during the painting process and the daily chasing of her 6 year old, I don't feel too behind on my training! ;)

I'm back now. So the "real" training resumes... Stay tuned! ;)

I have reached my minimum fundraising goal!

2010-07-24T00:27:00.002-04:00

I have reached my minimum fundraising goal of $2,300 for 3-Day! ;) Thank you to everyone who has donated so far! I'm so excited! ;) Please continue to keep those donations coming as we still have a long way to go to reach our Force of Soles team goal! We can do it with your continued support! ;)

Training Walk Updates

2010-07-17T20:41:00.000-04:00

I've been out of town a lot lately (work-related travel) and will be again in the coming weeks. But I will try to continue my training while traveling... (at least as much as possible). As of today, I have now completed my fundraising MINIMUM which means I WILL be walking in October and can now focus on my training!

In the meanwhile, please keep those donations coming! We're still a long way from our $30,000 team goal! ;) But making great progress!

Cakes for the Cure! Bake Sale TODAY!

2010-07-17T20:36:00.000-04:00

Our second bake sale was held today at Sam's Club off Mansell Road in Alpharetta. It was a great success!

Many thanks to teammates, Marilee, Terri & her hubby, Bill and my parents for coming out and helping us sell today. And my hubby for helping set up today. Special thanks to my mom for ALL the cakes she baked for this sale (15) and cupcakes for this sale and the July 3rd sale. Also thanks to Terri & Marilee for baking TONS of cookies and my friend, Fawn for helping us ice cupcakes and bake blueberry muffins last night.

The cookies were a hot item today! Our gross sales were about $463!

Terri and Marilee insisted I complete my minimum fundraising requirements and thanks to today's sale and some checks which I have recently received and needed to send to SKG, my fundraising is now complete! :) Woo hoo!

Thank you to everyone who has supported me so far and continued to support me and my team. Please keep those donations coming! We still have 4 team members who need to reach their fundraising minimums!

Peachtree Road Race, July 4, 2010

2010-07-05T03:58:00.000-04:00

My very first 10K, The Peachtree Road Race through downtown Atlanta. The 6.2 miles STARTed at Lenox Road @ Peachtree (next to Lenox Square) and followed Peachtree Road through Buckhead and Midtown before finally turning left onto 10th Street toward the finish line to END at Piedmont Park.

Nina, Carrie & Alisha wating to line up to start the Peachtree Road Race.

What a day! I was wave "W" so my start time was 8:55 AM. Which was good AND bad... :) The good was that it was late enough I didn't have to get up at 3 or 4 AM to get there. The bad was it was late enough that I was gonna hit the bulk of the rising heat of the day. :( BUT, we got lucky today as it was a relatively mild July 4th morning. With recent temps in the mid to upper 90's, we were blessed today with a refreshing 80 degrees near the end of the race which was for me by about 11 AM.

Alisa, Nina and I were in separate start waves. Alisha and Nina were in wave "U" (start time 8:51 AM) and I was in wave "W" (start time 8:55 AM). The girls tried to sneak me up into their start wave, but the volunteers caught me and quickly scolded and escorted me back to the "W" just behind them. I felt like a school girl getting caught with her hand in the cookie jar! haha

So, I had to begin the race all by myself and I was REALLY nervous! ;) There were a LOT of people there!

Waiting in the "cue" to start the Peachtree Road Race.

I was able to start in the front of the pack. But was careful to stay far to the right so I wouldn't get run over by all the speed demons. Walkers to the right... When "W" was finally released to start, my nerves had calmed slightly and I was beginning to get pretty excited! ;)

I had not had much sleep (due to my hectic work schedule) in the days leading up to the Peachtree, so I was especially nervous about that. And woke up feeling quite dizzy and had to fight that horrible feeling most of the day. I was definately over-tired. Note to self: DON'T DO THAT AGAIN!" ;)

I had just crossed Piedmont Road / Peachtree as we were nearing our first water station when I came upon someone on my right and we started talking... Her STORY was very inspiring to me... :) Her name is Sherry and only 4 weeks ago, she suffered cardiac arrest from a bee sting! I was soo amazed at her sheer determination to be there that she chose to walk the race! :)

We agreed to walk alongside each other for company and support! We kept a pretty good pace most of the way and stopped for 2 potty stops along the way. I was sucking water down like a camel! Still feeling the dizziness, I wasn't sure if I were actually dehydrated or just plain exhausted from lack of sleep! But I pushed through it with Sherry's encouragement! It was really great to have someone to share the journey with. :) And she is quite a hoot! ;) Thanks, Sherry for keeping me going and motivating me to NEVER GIVE UP! ;)

I saw quite a few people today who were quite inspiring! I saw someone on crutches and someone with a prosthetic leg walking the race. In fact, he was keeping a pretty good pace! I saw elderly men and women walking the race and doing better than me and Sherry! ;) It was a great feeling to be there among the crowd of thousands and share this experience with them!

We're in the home stretch!

Finally, we crossed the finish line and it was a great feeling! It took Sherry and I about 2 hours, but we did it! ;)

Cakes for the Cure! SUCCESS!

2010-07-03T21:55:00.000-04:00

WE DID IT! We managed to pull off an amazing bake sale today. Despite my getting only 7 hours of sleep in the past 36 hours! :) I'm AMAZED! We had an AWESOME sale today! We sold dozens and dozens of cupcakes, cakes and cookies. And we learned a lot for the next sale to be even MORE successful! ;) Our total gross profits today were $483! I'm so proud!

We had my computer there and was able to accept online donations via SGK website! (I think we may have received a few extra bucks from some very generous donors thanks to that capability. A special thank you to Ben and Jenni at Kitchen Drawer for allowing me to borrow the Sprint Wireless Internet connection which made that possible!)

The koozies were a hit! We sold more than 25 today @ $5 with a FREE cold drink. :)

Thank you to our team members, Marilee and Diane for your help preparing the cupcakes and being there today at the sale. And a special thanks to Fawn for helping us frost hundreds of cupcakes last night and Alisha for being our street dancer! Alisha helped bring us a few additional shoppers! ;)

My mom, Carol, get LOTS OF LOVE for baking so many yummy goodies and my dad, John, for helping out at the bake sale today! I couldn't have pulled this off today without them! ;)

Mark your calendars! Our next sale is July 17 at Sam's Club, Mansell Road in Alpharetta, GA. We look forward to seeing you there!

Cakes for the Cure! Bake Sale TODAY!

2010-07-03T01:10:00.000-04:00

CAKES FOR THE CURE
Saturday, July 3
Lowe's – Windward Parkway
10AM-2PM or 3

PREPARED CUPCAKES:
24 Devils Food with Cream Cheese Frosting
24 Devils Food with Milk Chocolate Frosting
24 Dark Chocolate with White Frosting
24 Caramel with Cream Cheese Frosting
24 Coconut with White/Coconut Frosting
24 Lemon with Lemon Frosting
24 Strawberry with Strawberry Frosting
24 Red Velvet with Cream Cheese Frosting
24 French Vanilla with Strawberry Frosting
48 French Vanilla with Chocolate Frosting
24 French Vanilla with Dark Chocolate Frosting
24 French Vanilla with White Frosting
24 Vanilla with Chocolate Frosting
24 Golden Butter with Chocolate Frosting
24 Yellow with Dark Chocolate Frosting

PREPARED SHEET CAKES:
1 Lemon Sheet Cake with Lemon Frosting
1 German Chocolate Sheet Cake with Coconut Pecan Frosting

PREPARED BUNDT CAKES:
1 Devil's Food Bundt Cake with Chocolate Drizzle
1 Fudge Marble Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Drizzle
1 Red Velvet Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Drizzle
1 Spice Cake with Butter Cream Drizzle
1 Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Drizzle
1 Pineapple Cake with Fresh Pineapple/Powdered Sugar Drizzle Coconut

Chocolate Cheese Cookies
Brownies
Candy
& MORE

Busy Busy Week!

2010-07-03T01:06:00.000-04:00

This week leading up to the Peachtree Road Race (Sunday, July 4th) has been the hairest week I can remember in a very long time! ;)

Unfortunately, I haven't had ANY training time this week. :( I'd hoped to keep up my usual 20 miles. Or at the very least, put in about 10 before the Peachtree! But it didn't happen! ;(

I am the Art Director for a small magazine in Griffin, GA called Kitchen Drawer. And, this week was production week for the July/August issue. What I hadn't figured on was everything else leading up to this week was gonna be delayed (photo shoots, writing, etc.) which made me delayed... Yeah for me! ;)

The good news? After almost a week of hard core design and production, kick-ass writing and editing from our editor/copywriter, and 48 straight hours with only 2 hours of sleep for the final production push, I managed to release the final file to the printer this morning! :) Woo hoo! As tired as I feel, I feel sooo much better now! ;) AND I'm quite proud of this issue. I have to thank my contributing designers for stepping up and cranking out their respective piece(s) for me. Some going over and above for me by doing multiple pieces! What would I do without you!? Thank you! ;)

Thanks also goes out to my donors cause now I'm at $1,845! ;) I'm getting there! ;)

Today, Saturday is our first bake sale. And have we been busy BAKING! Correction! My MOM has been busy baking! She's made nearly 48 dozen cupcakes, 8 cakes and a batch of cookies and brownies for this sale! WOW!! ;) I sure hope it pays off! ;) THANK YOU, MAMA! ;) With my schedule these past few weeks, there's NO WAY I could have pulled this sale off! ;)

Stay tuned to see how we do! ...

Force of Soles Fundraising

2010-06-26T16:19:00.003-04:00

FORCE OF SOLES BAKE SALE(s) SCHEDULED!
Saturday, July 3, 10 AM-3 PM
Lowe's, Windward Parkway, Alpharetta

Saturday, July 17, 10 AM-3 PM
Sam's Club, Mansell Road, Alpharetta

STAY TUNED FOR DETAILS ABOUT THE UPCOMING FORCE OF SOLES' SOCIAL WITH SILENT AUCTION IN AUGUST...

Please contact me if you have an item(s), tickets, art, anything you'd like to donate to our silent auction. Also looking for a place to hold our event. Suggestions welcome!

BeltLine 5K, Saturday, June 26 – 57:35

2010-06-26T15:57:00.003-04:00

The BeltLine 5K Race went well today... I finished with a time of 57:35. :) Woohoo!! ;) My previous times have been 1 hour; 17 minutes). So I'm very proud! ;) Especially given how little time I've had to train this week! ;(

Alisha was about 38 minutes (I think). ;) It was really fun!

The best part was today was a painless experience! ;) I stretched very carefully pre-race and had absolutely NO issues during the event (that explains my improved time)! ;) My new shoes are a great contributor to my fabulous experience today, too, I'm sure! ;)

Started out mostly towards the back of the crowd (which was very small, I'm guessing about 200 racers). Alisha and Sid were quickly gone and I found myself walking alone. Which is quite interesting. I'm finding I'm not a fan of walking alone too much... And since SGK doesn't allow headphones during the 3-Day, I'm training without such devices...

I enjoy a few minutes of quiet, alone time to reflect and gain inner perspective, but soon I get bored and begin to focus too much on how far I've gone and how much I have left to finish the race... I carefully keep my eyes peeled for every mile marker I pass and mentally "check".

This was my experience today until I near the 1 mile marker and look up to see a small kid standing there wearing a race number obviously waiting... Immediately, I wonder who he's waiting for and realize I'm quite a distance from the rest of the pack (both in front of me and behind me). And I think, "Yeah for me, I'm not last! haha" I wonder whether he's waiting for his mother or if he's decided he's "done" already... But I smile and say "hi" as I pass him and don't ask questions.

A few minutes later (maybe .25 miles later), I look up to see this same little boy passing me alone... So this time I ask... "Are you walking alone or with your family/parents?" He tells me his sister is ahead of him and his mother is behind him somewhere that he tried to wait for her but didn't see her, so he was moving on... We chat for a minute and I tell him he is welcome to walk with me for a while if he'd like... So he agrees! ;)

He tells me his name is "Malik" and he's 10 years old. His mom works for the BeltLine and she's doing this walk for work. He was very sweet and kept me quite entertained as we walked. Several times, his phone would ring as someone (mom or sister) was checking on him and I heard him tell someone he'd made a friend as was walking with her. ;) That made me smile...

We'd just made it past the two mile marker, when Malik tells me, "I don't think I can do this anymore! I've never walked so much in my life!" It was all I could do not to stop right there and fall out laughing! He was sooo funny and bless his heart, he meant it! ;) I told him he was my walking buddy and he COULD do it cause WE were gonna do it together! He promised to try... :) And by golly, he did it! And so did I! ;)

A walking buddy makes all the difference in the world. It puts a spring in your step and keeps you going... I want to thank my little buddy, Malik, for being here for me yesterday! ;) It was a good day!

Post race, Alisha and I walked the 1 mile back to the start line to get some extra walking in this week and then walked the park another mile or so before heading back home! ;) So, all-in-all, about a 5 mile day! ;)

Next week's Peachtree (10K) should be interesting in the heat... But I'm gonna try! My start time will be 8:55 AM (whew). Sure wish I was much earlier!

BeltLine 5K, Saturday, June 26

2010-06-26T15:30:00.026-04:00

Pre-Race Pics

Alisha & Me at the BeltLine 5K Start Line

Sid & Alisha waiting to start the race

Art in the Park

Training, Wednesday, June 23

2010-06-23T23:07:00.001-04:00

Tonight, Marilee, Andrew and I walked 4 miles along the Alpharetta Greenway! :) It was awesome and the shady trail made it a very pleasant walk! The best part... I didn't experience my usual ankle/shin pains! ;)

I'm totally ready for the BeltLine 5K this Saturday in Southwest Atlanta! ;)

Donation updates: I received two more checks today! I'm now up to $1,740! I'm soo happy and grateful to everyone for your donations! Please keep them coming! I'm now only $560 from the minimum $2,300 which will allow me to walk in October! ;) THANK YOU!

Ultimate goal is to raise a minimum of $3,300 per team member. Our team goal is $30,000. We're getting there thanks to all of you!!

Supporters – Here's How You Can Help!

2010-06-18T00:54:00.000-04:00

We are offering a number of ways you can support our team! Please join us in the fight against Breast Cancer!

Force of Soles Fundraising – T-Shirt SPONSORSHIP

2010-06-18T00:50:00.004-04:00

We are accepting corporate sponsorships and product donations for silent auctions and fundraising events. Please contact me if interested!

3-Day T-Shirt Sponsorships are now available! We'll wear these T-Shirts 60 miles during the Atlanta event, October 22-24, 2010 and your company logo will be seen by thousands.

WNBA Atlanta Dream Tickets Available

2010-06-18T00:34:00.003-04:00

Special thanks to our GENEROUS donor for these awesome tickets. All proceeds go to Susan G Komen For the Cure.

Force of Soles Fundraising

2010-06-17T18:26:00.001-04:00

WNBA Atlanta Dream Tickets Available
for Select Home Games @ Philips Arena

$90/PAIR
(face value $60 ea)

1. Wednesday, June 23rd @ noon
2. Sunday, June 27th @ 3:00pm
3. Tuesday, June 29th @ 7:00pm
4. Thursday, July 1st @ 7:00pm
5. Saturday, July 3rd @ 7:00pm
6. Wednesday, July 7th @ 7:00pm
7. Sunday, July 25th @ 3:00pm
8. Sunday, August 1st @ 3:00pm
9. Tuesday, August 3rd @ 7:30pm
10. Tuesday, August 10th @ 7:00pm
11. Friday, August 13th @ 7:00pm
12. Tuesday, August 17th @ 7:00pm
13. Sunday, August 22nd @ 3:00pm

Tickets are for Row A, Row D and Row M. All seats are in the Club Level (exclusive level with restaurants like Buckhead Diner, Atlanta Fish Market, Nava and premium bars)

Please contact Carrie if interested and for availability, designaf@mindspring.com.

CONGRATS TO MARILEE

2010-06-17T18:21:00.000-04:00

I'm VERY proud to announce one of our team members, Marilee, has already reached her
$2,300 minimum! Go Marilee! ;) Keep it up girl!

We're on our way! ;)

Special thanks to Angela for her SECOND donation toward my fundraising efforts! THANK YOU!!!

Training, Wednesday, June 16

2010-06-17T18:18:00.000-04:00

Scheduled training for Tuesday, June 15 was STORMED (thunder/lightning/CRAZY rain) out so I postponed to Wednesday night. I was all by myself. And GOD it was HOT! And HOT! :( The heat really got me too... Ugh...

To make matters worse, that night I woke up in the WORST SWEAT to discover our AC went out! Ugh! When it rains, it pours! Sure could use some rain to cool things down a bit...

Force of Soles Fundraising

2010-06-14T16:49:00.001-04:00

We have available for donation (sale) the following items:

Atlanta Dream Season Ticket Holder Seats for Select Games
Floor-Level Front Row Seating/Tickets to several Upcoming Atlanta Dream Women's Basketball Games $90 per pair (2 tickets)
(call for dates/availability)

White T-Shirt with Force of Soles logo $20 donation
(accepting pre-orders now)

Collapsible Koozie with Force of Soles logo $5 donation
(accepting pre-orders now)

Breast Cancer Awareness Pink Bracelets $2 each donation

Please contact me at (404) 219-0062 if you're interested in purchasing any of these items. Net proceeds to the Force of Soles team on behalf of Susan G Komen For the Cure 3-Day!

Community Fundraising Plans

2010-06-14T16:27:00.000-04:00

Well... I've been struggling with ideas for fundraising. And was planning an elaborate bachelor/bachelorette auction. But in the end, I've decided given the VERY tight timeframe I have combined with the the limited time I have available to put this together, I'm going to hold off on this one until NEXT year! ;(

HOWEVER... I'm going to be planning a couple of fun SOCIALS with a SILENT AUCTION! Details to come! I'd love to do one or two between now and September! Ideas/suggestions, etc. WELCOME!

Bake sale(s) details coming soon! ;)

Training, Sunday, June 13

2010-06-14T16:19:00.000-04:00

Second OFFICIAL Training Walk. Led by Judy at the Alpharetta Greenway. The 6.2 mile trail started at Rock Mill Rd to Mansell AMC and back. Judy had gathered a nice turnout of about 10 folks including me and my teammate, Marilee.

I had high hopes decked out in my fancy new shoes! I started out strong. Keeping right up with the pack, but quickly was left lagging behind as the pain began in my lower limbs and ankles. UGH! I kept going, cheering myself on knowing the usual first 2 miles is the most brutal and once the pain subsides, I'll be fine... I watched the group get further and further away from me.

Walking alone is tough. You're left to deal with yourself and your thoughts and it's really hard NOT to focus on the pain and let the negativity set in. So, I started trying to become my own cheering station! It was so funny to me, that I was laughing at myself and people walking by probably thought I was nuts! But I didn't care! ;)

At just about what I assumed was the 2 mile (give or take – my pedometer decided not to work anymore! Ugh!!) mark, I noticed the pain was gone as usual!

The good news is... Judy taught me some stretches which seemed to help and I apparently, need to do much more often before/after each walk. And... The shoes seemed to be a bit more cushy.

By the end of the 6.2 miles, I felt pretty good and believed I could go a few more miles. But didn't DARE push it. Not yet. I have plenty of time to build on my training. And will be taking my sweet time to get there. ;)

Still averaging about 20 miles / week. Not bad, eh!?

Training, Saturday, June 12

2010-06-12T21:01:00.000-04:00

First OFFICIAL Training Walk led by Elissa. We met at 7 AM at The Forum on Peachtree Parkway and walked 4 miles around The Forum and the neighborhood directly behind the Forum. It was a gorgeous neighborhood with lots of shade. Didn't do much to alleviate the heat, but still not too bad overall. ;)

Marilee joined me for this one and we met Elissa, Debbie and Melanie. They were AweSOME! ;) My leg pain struck again! ;( The new girls suggested I try a new pair of proper walking shoes...

SO... I did! ;) Tonight, I went to New Balance in Alpharetta where I learned that I have very high arches! Who knew! And purchased a very pricey pair of shoes and inserts (these almost cost as much as the shoes!) to protect my feet! They better have wings and make me float on air and walk on water for that price! ;)

I'm planning to try them out tomorrow AM for my first 6.2 mile walk! The Peachtree is now only weeks away! Whew!

Training, Thursday, June 10

2010-06-10T21:53:00.000-04:00

Andrew joined me for a 3 mile training walk at Newtown Park. It was just the two of us and it was nice to share a stroll with him! ;) Thanks luv!

It's summer! Everyone is on vacations! JEALOUS!!!

Training, Wednesday, June 9

2010-06-10T13:18:00.000-04:00

The plan was to meet at Newtown Park, Alpharetta. Alisha joined me for a 5 mile training walk. It was really, really hot! The walk started out slowly at first. And I must not have stretched properly cause I experienced the pain building in my lower legs and feet. Once I reached mile 2, noticed the pain had subsided and my speed had increased slightly. I began to feel a ton better and felt like I could keep going. Then... I stopped to remove a pesky rock from my shoe and just that short break almost killed my energy! :) I did keep going to finish out the full 5 miles. Whew! ;)

Going back again tonight for about 4 to 5 more! ;) Gonna stretch a little better tonight!

Harris Jacobs 4 mile Walk/Run, Dunwoody, June 6

2010-06-06T12:07:00.001-04:00

Participants lining up to begin the Harris Jacobs 4 Mile Walk/Run.

Pre-race silliness (Becky).

Carrie, Alisha, Sirka and Becky (front) waiting for the race to begin.

After the race (back at Becky's house).

Harris Jacobs 4 mile Walk/Run, Dunwoody, June 6

2010-06-06T11:47:00.000-04:00

I completed the Harris Jacobs 4 mile Walk/Run this morning in Dunwoody. It was a good day. But I wasn't prepared for the hills I encountered! ;( Ugh.

Note to self: PRACTICE HILLS! Really! Ugh!

Finish time for the 4 mile walk was 1 hour, 17 minutes. Not bad considering the cramp in my knee and leg which stayed with me for 3 of those miles!!!

Another note to self: STRETCH!!!

Becky, Sirka and Alisha did it with me. :) Thanks ladies for ya'lls support!!!

I started out toward the back of the pack. Literally about 10 folks behind me and quickly they passed me. Most of the race, I kept up fairly well with the two ladies in front of me, but that cramp almost didn't let me finish. I just endured and kept it going! In the end, I survived and finished! WOW!!

Oh, and I forgot to mention, we parked at Becky's house and walked to and from the race! (About 1 mile to/from)!

AND... I can be proud of the fact that I've completed 20 training miles this week! Woo hoo!!!

Next race is the Beltline on June 26.

Betcha I get to practicing those hills! ;)

Force of Soles T-Shirts & Team Update!

2010-06-05T18:07:00.000-04:00

Good news! Charlene officially joined our team this week! Yeah! Force of Soles welcomes new team member, Charlene!!!!

AND... I picked up our official team training shirts today! ;) Big Frog in Cumming, GA printed them! They're awesome. The font printed a little screwy (bummer), but Big Frog is going to reprint them and we'll have our REALLY official team shirts next week. They let me take these shirts so we can appear as a team tomorrow in the Harris Jacobs 4 Mile Run/Walk tomorrow in Dunwoody! ;) Thank you Trish at BIG FROG! You rock!

If anyone needs custom T-Shirt printing done, call Big Frog in Cumming! They're AWESOME!!! (770) 889-FROG.

We'll be printing and selling white TEAM logo shirts to our supporters soon for a $20 donation to our Team. Please contact me with your name, number and shirt size if you'd like to pre-order your shirt!

Training, Thursday, June 3

2010-06-04T00:47:00.000-04:00

Training tonight went well! :) Terry, Bill and Alisha met up with me and together we walked 3 miles! Then, Alisha and I continued for another 2! So all in all, I pulled 5 miles tonight! Great walk!!!

Community Fundraising Plans

2010-06-02T22:02:00.000-04:00

The team and I have been talking about some different fundraising ideas. One of which is a bake sale. I spoke to Publix yesterday about the possibility of sponsoring our sale and/or our team. ;) I'm keeping my fingers crossed and hoping HIGH! ;)

Also planning to approach Kroger and Wal-Mart to see what may come. :) I'm more than willing to park in front of one of those stores to receive donations and create breast cancer awareness! ;)

Also in planning is a bachelor/bachelorette auction. Please email me if you'd like to donate, participate in the auction or can help with this production in any way! ;) Watch out for Andrew to be auctioned for this handyman services! ;) Yep! I'm gonna pimp my man! ;) heehee It's for a good cause! ;)

Please let me know if you have a great fundraising idea. We'd love to have your input!

Training, Tuesday, June 1

2010-06-02T21:56:00.000-04:00

I met Terri P, her hubby, Bill and Kathy L at Newtown Park for a training walk. We walked the outer perimeter trail (about 1 mile). Terri and Bill did great for their second training walk. They walked twice 'round. Kathy stayed with me and walked about three times 'round before she departed.

Then, a late-comer and potential NEW Force of Soles team member, Camille joined me for two more loops! We look forward to Camille joining our team soon! And rumor has it, a couple more folks will be joining us soon, too! Woo hoo!! ;)

All in all, I walked about 4-5 miles. And it felt pretty good! ;)

Next training: Thursday, June 3 at Newtown Park.

Post-Race, Celebrate America 5K, May 31, 2010

2010-05-31T09:37:00.000-04:00

Carrie & Alisha, Post-Race
Drowned RATS

Pre-Race, Celebrate America 5K, May 31, 2010

2010-05-31T09:35:00.000-04:00

Carrie & Marilee Pre-Race

Celebrate America 5K TODAY

2010-05-31T09:25:00.000-04:00

Today, I joined some of my fellow teammates at the Celebrate America 5K in Alpharetta, GA. It was a cold, rainy and very wet Memorial Day today. (And my birthday!)

Force of Soles' Captain, Sally, myself and Marilee walked the 5K while Alisha ran the 10K. Marilee and I finished at 1 hour, 2 minutes, while Alisha finished her 10K at 1 hour, 15 minutes. Sally finished first among us, but I don't know her final time.

The rain certainly made it interesting. And I learned my shoes ARE NOT waterproof! ;( However, despite the rain, it was a good morning! ;)

Planning to spend the rest of today with my husband, Andrew and the "sisters" (sister-in-laws whom I adore)! ;) We won't let no rain get us down today!

Woo hoo!

AND... I ran into a neighbor who said she'll be joining our team! ;) Yippie! Force of Soles is GROWING! ;)

Memorial Day 5K

2010-05-28T08:58:00.000-04:00

I'll be walking a 5K on Memorial Day during the Celebrate America 5K in Alpharetta with my teammate, Sally Gozder and sister-in-law, Alisha Woods! It's also my birthday! ;) Yeah.

Training Saturday, May 22

2010-05-22T13:05:00.000-04:00

Met Beth and Marilee at Riverside Park at 8 AM. (More were expected, but the Sat AM hour may have deterred them?) We walked 3 miles back down Riverside and up the back entrance through Martin's Landing subdivision. Those Martin's Landing HILLS were rather brutal. :) But, we have to be prepared for ANYTHING! It was a good walk overall.

Force of Soles is GROWING!

2010-05-21T09:06:00.001-04:00

Yeah. Welcome new team member, Marilee Knellinger, former President, Atlanta Ski Club! ;) We're a Force of 4 Soles!

Training Wednesday, May 19

2010-05-20T22:20:00.000-04:00

Another beautiful night for a training walk with my FIRST team member! And team members to be. Again, we met at Riverside Park in Roswell for a short training walk.

Terri, Bill, Marilee and Angela joined me for a 1.75 mile walk along the river. It was a great "intro" walk for some new walkers!

I'm not crazy. I just want to make a difference!

2010-05-20T20:15:00.000-04:00

I read this on another blog and found it interesting and might help explain WHY I'm walking 60 miles in 3 days!

First Time Walker Tip #10: They might not “get it”….
March 25, 2010 / Posted by Jackie in 1st timer tips

Last year, I was a first time walker. I remember being overwhelmed at how unprepared I felt. I didn’t know what camp would be like, or how our days would go. I felt like I was going in totally blind. My only saving grace was having a tent mate who’d BTDT and could give me tips. This year I’m walking with a, what I consider to be, good sized team of first-time walkers. So I’m going to start posting some small, but helpful, first time walker tips. Things I wish I’d known before hand (or things I did know before hand thanks to my walking buddy, and that came in very helpful)

If we want to be honest with ourselves, walking 60 miles over the course of 3 days isn’t “normal“. In fact, if you walk up to someone who has never heard of the 3day before and tell them what you are doing, you’ll likely be called “Crazy” or “Insane“. Because it isn’t normal. It’s long and tiring and it seems very over-the-top when you first think about it.

I mean, for both first time walkers (FTW) and veteran walkers alike, how many of you said “I’d love to, but gosh, that’s a lot” prior to registering. How many of you questioned your ability to complete it? Probably most, if not all, of you. Heck, I know I did. It took me 2 years of wanting to sign up before I finally did. It took a healthy dose of courage and a friend signing up with me to get me over the hump.

So to hear someone say “Yeah, I’m going to get $2,300 in donations, then walk 60 miles in 3 days” might sound a bit outlandish. You can’t really blame them for such a surprised reaction.

But what you CAN do is explain it to them. Explain to them that the event is meant to be “crazy“. It’s meant to be “over-the-top”. It’s not intended to be “normal”. After all, this is supposed to be the most inspirational and extreme event that benefits Breast Cancer Research. It’s meant to push your boundaries and have you question “can i finish this?” so that when you do, you will know you did something extraordinary. You were a part of something bigger than a bake sale. You were a part of the Susan G Komen 3 Day for the Cure.

So when people ask “Are you crazy?!” Say, “Yeah. Maybe a little…. but here’s why…” and explain to them that in 2009, the Dallas Event alone raised over $7million. Explain to them that the estimated $105million dollars raised in 2009 (15 events x $7mil) will help further research that will ensure that their daughters have a brighter medical future than their mothers did. That the money raised will provide low cost mammograms for women who are uninsured or underinsured. That the money will directly affect the lives of millions and millions of people.

The thing I’ve noticed is that the people who think it’s “crazy” to walk that far… they don’t get it. They don’t get what the event stands for or how emotional it is. I’ve found that when people learn more, research more, ask more questions, or even show up and cheer at an event, something clicks. They get it. They understand why it’s so big. They understand that if it were just a 5k, it wouldn’t be as huge and successful. It wouldn’t be as powerful. It wouldn’t have the same impact on our medical future as the 3day does. So encourage your friends to read more about it, help answer any questions they have, And invite them to come see you at a cheering station or at closing ceremony.

If you can help them “get it” you may have doubled your impact towards this disease, simply by passing the kool-aid on to the next First Time Walker ;)

Force of Soles - First TEAM member!!

2010-05-20T19:25:00.000-04:00

Yeah! Sally and I are very happy and proud to announce Terri Pero, Office Manager of the Atlanta Ski Club is our very first team member on our newly formed team, Force of Soles!

Thank you Terri for taking this journey with me and Sally! ;) We look forward to walking and fundraising with you!

Force of Soles - Please support our newly formed team!

2010-05-20T18:46:00.000-04:00

Sally and I formed our own 3-Day team, Force of Soles! We're very excited and hope to build the team and have some real fun this summer! Let me know if you want join our team and walk 60 miles for breast cancer research in 3 days! Together, we can make a difference!

If you don't want to walk, we'll take your money! ;) Collectively, our team, Force of Soles would like to raise $30,000.

Leaving Pink Diamonds to Start Own 3-Day Team

2010-05-20T18:43:00.000-04:00

I want to thank my former 3-Day team, Pink Diamonds (and Neda and Jackie) for your support. I wouldn't have considered doing the 3-Day if you hadn't invited me!

Training Monday, May 17

2010-05-19T18:59:00.000-04:00

Starting my own team has inspired to me to get SERIOUSLY training. ;) Even before our new team was "official" or even officially named, I decided to begin recruiting for the team to be and begin training walks with anyone interested in joining us!

So, Monday night, I met Fawn and Alisha and walk we did! ;) We met at Riverside Park on Riverside Road (near Roswell Road) and walked about 3.5 miles by the river. It was such a pleasant walk and the company made it that much better! We didn't even realize how far we'd walked until later! ;)

I am inspired to continue this journey that much more. Thanks Fawn and Alisha for being my "walking buddies"! ;)

Signed Up for 2 more Walks Today!

2010-05-17T17:22:00.000-04:00

My June race calendar is quickly filling up! ;) I just added two more races:

Sunday, June 6 | Harris Jacobs Dream Run (4 miles) Dunwoody

Saturday, June 26 | BeltLine 5K Run/Walk (West End) Atlanta

My plan is to find at least two per month between now and the 3-Day. :)

I'm HALFWAY to my donation goal!

2010-05-16T11:54:00.001-04:00

As of today, I'm proud to say, I have raised $1,250 for Susan G. Komen 3-Day! ;) Thanks again to everyone for their generosity! I still need $1,050 to reach the minimum required to be allowed to walk, but please keep your pledges coming! ;)

After-Race Silliness at Ikea

2010-05-09T14:53:00.000-04:00

So, after the race had ended, we decided to visit Ikea. Alisha had never been there before and she's buying her first house in a few weeks, so we trodded over to Ikea for another 5K! SERIOUSLY, it's THAT big!

While shopping, we got a little silly and had some post-race fun!

Alisha at Ikea.

Susan G. Komen 5K, May 8 Pre-Race Photo-Op

2010-05-09T14:49:00.000-04:00

Chuck, Sally, Carrie & Alisha at the Starting Line

Susan G. Komen 5K, May 8, 2010

2010-05-09T14:30:00.000-04:00

What a wonderful day! ;) I was so excited I woke up before the alarm went off and got up BEFORE the roosters! ;) Alisha came to our house to ride with us to Atlantic Station.

The race started at 8:30 AM. We arrived at Atlantic Station at 7 AM to meet up with my teammate Sally and her husband, Chuck. There were SOO many people there! Later, we found out 17,000 people came out to walk the 5K! WOW. Not to mention the thousands who were there just to support! ;)

Just in the nick of time, my other friend, Becky, arrived to join us for the 5K too! ;) We'd already made our way toward the starting line and was just waiting for our cue to begin walking. We soon discovered we were still in the midst of some runners and were literally getting run over for a few minutes! Whew! ;)

This course started in front of Atlantic Station just before the big yellow 17th Street bridge. Turned right onto Spring Street, turning left onto 5th Street for one block and turning back down West Peachtree Street to double back onto 17th Street were we ended in the BACK of Atlantic Station for a sponsor and exhibitor expo.

Andrew and I received our 5K Race T-Shirts and I'm proud to say I completed the walk in 1 hour, 7 minutes (with one mid-race pit stop). heehee

Many thanks!

2010-05-03T12:06:00.000-04:00

I have received some more donations. And want to thank everyone for your support! ;) Please keep em coming! I'm now almost halfway there!

Got the T-Shirt!

2010-05-03T12:01:00.001-04:00

Crossing the Finish Line

2010-05-03T11:59:00.000-04:00

The 2010 Boulder Dash 5k @ LaFarge Quarry

2010-05-03T11:57:00.000-04:00

Boulder Dash–Waiting to Line Up

2010-05-03T11:47:00.000-04:00

1 hour; 2 minutes

2010-05-01T17:15:00.000-04:00

I did it! ;) 2010 Boulder Dash 5K. 1 hour; 2 minutes! ;)

It was my first 5K EVER. And it was awesome! ;) Yeah... In the beginning was experiencing some strange cramping in my feet/toes. (Need to look into some proper walking shoes.) I took my time and walked the whole way. Wasn't in a hurry... Had a great time. Met some very nice folks! Definately WiLL do it again next year.

The 2010 Boulder Dash 5k - RAIN predicted in the AM

2010-04-30T19:35:00.000-04:00

Ewww... Forecast calls for 30% chance of thunderstorms and rain. Yea. I'm praying for nice weather in the morning JUST during the walk! ;) But I must say, I do like the forecast for the Derby parties Saturday night! ;) Plenty of nice, warm sunshine! ;)

Picked up my Bouder Dash 5k packet today. :)

The 2010 Boulder Dash 5k

2010-04-28T19:52:00.000-04:00

Officially signed up to walk the 2010 Boulder Dash 5K on Saturday, May 1 at 9am.

Details of the Boulder Dash:

The Lafarge Quarry in Cumming, GA will host the Boulder Dash 5k on May 1, 2010. The Boulder Dash is a unique opportunity that awaits you to meander through an environmentally responsible, operational hard rock quarry. This is a 5k run/walk as you have never imagined. Begin your journey at Northside Hospital Forsyth and make your way into an active rock quarry.

And so my training continues... I was going to do an official training walk (3 miles) with the 3-Day group, but when my sister-in-law, Alisha suggested I join her for this event, I figured, it's still 3 miles of training and a great opportunity to get my feet wet! ;) But, I hope not literally! ;)

The Saturday following will be the Susan G. Komen 5K in Atlanta.

I'll be sure to post some photos in the coming weeks!

And I want to once again thank all my supporters for your donations! ;) I'm now up to $1,000 in GENEROUS donations! I have quite a few checks to mail into the Susan G. Komen foundation so my website will reflect my recent donations! THANK YOU so much! I'm almost halfway there!

3-Day Getting Started

2010-04-15T00:50:00.000-04:00

Tonight I attended a 3-Day Getting Started meeting. And it was very informative! ;) I met some great new folks! Our Team Captain, Neda, was doing a great job soliciting new walkers to join our team. You go girl! WELCOME new team members, Mary, Kelly & Paul!!! ;)

I'm fired up and ready to WALK! ;)

THANK YOU for your continued support. Please keep those donations coming!

DONATION UPDATE:
Received my first TWO corporate checks yesterday PLUS an additional personal check from a donor which brings my total donations to $795!! ;) WOW! THANKS!

Overwhelming Support!

2010-04-13T07:19:00.000-04:00

I'm so proud and pleased by the overwhelming support I've received!!! I want to thank all my donors for your support!!

Special thanks to Rhonda H., Ed S., Jim C., Petr M., Sandra H., Terry N., Tamara M., Angela M...

Upon rising this AM, I've raised $570! I'm only $1,930 from my personal goal! I'd love to meet/exceed this fundraising goal with flying colors!! ;)

Thank you! Thank you! ;) I'm really excited to walk this year!

The Susan G. Komen 5K is only weeks away! I signed up for an official 3-mile training session on May 1. And have already begun walking this distance on my own. 3-miles should be a piece of cake! ;) Woo hoo!!

First Training Day

2010-04-04T17:03:00.000-04:00

I bought a pedometer this morning so I can officially track my training. Then, Andrew and I took the dogs to Newtown Park for my first official training day. We walked the first 1.5 miles (Andrew walking and handling both of the dogs) with me alone.

When we realized the dogs were dragging behind (I'm beginning to see a pattern here). So, we stopped at the dog park for some puppy play time. While Andrew watched them play in the park I continued on another 1.5 miles. So, in total... DAY 1 = 3 miles. :) Yeah.

The Susan G. Komen 5K is 5 weeks away and I'm already ready! In 5 weeks, the 5K will be a piece of cake!!

by Carrie Jones on Sat, Apr 03, 2010 @ 12:51 PM ET

Busy work week

2010-04-04T16:57:00.000-04:00

Well, it's been a busy work week. So not enough time for training with 15 hours of overtime... I parked at the far end of the parking lot. It was not much fun leaving the office late at night and walking that distance back to my car alone. :( I got really fast though! haha

Tomorrow, I'm planning a nice minimum 3-mile walk to jump-start my training. Then, off to the Atlanta Fair (more walking) in Downtown Atlanta, Saturday night. I'll make up for this week!

by Carrie Jones on Fri, Apr 02, 2010 @ 12:29 AM ET

Dear Diary - My first blog...

2010-04-04T16:52:00.000-04:00

Originally posted on my personal donation page at http://www.3day.org/.

WOW! Last week, a coworker asked if I were interested in considering walking with her in the upcoming Susan G Komen Race for the Cure 3-Day in October. Immediately, I said YES and made the decision to sign up!

As I begin to share my exciting news with family and friends, I am overwhelmed with support! ;) And I'm so grateful! The journey won't be easy, but I am ready to make the necessary changes (physically and emotionally) to begin, train and follow this journey through the very end! I'm really looking forward to the ride!

Last Thursday, I registered for the 3-Day online and immediately posted a link and made an annoucement on Facebook. Within only a few hours I received my first donations! WOW! Thank you to Henry J. and Greg H. and Bill D. for your support and encouragement. $2,500 seems like such a huge amount to raise in this crazy economy. Thank you for being my first donors!!! I was really touched by the immediate response! It was very encouraging!

Friday AM (before work), I woke up very early and took the dogs with me on my first training walk. Just around the neighborhood. The dogs were worn out before I was! haha I guess we can both use some exercise and get in shape! So, they'll be joining me on future walks for sure! ;) Today (Sunday), we had our first Pink Diamonds team meeting. It was really nice to get together for lunch with my new team to discuss the upcoming event and possible fundraising ideas.

Our team is already well on our way to reaching our combined team goal of $15,000. WOW! How cool is that! Within just a few days, we've achieved $1,100 toward our goal. Thank you Pink Diamonds Team (Neda, Team Captain, Jackie, Co-Captain, Michelle & Sally) for sharing with incredible journey with me!

by Carrie Jones on Sun, Mar 28, 2010 @ 10:32 PM ET