18 miles in the rain - Action creates inspiration

18 miles in the rain.

Three and a half hours of running and being rained on constantly.

And actually, it was good. I felt strong and I think the extra stimulation of having to watch where I was stepping and trying to avoid pot-holes and trying to keep warm actually made the run go faster.

I got home from the run and felt great. Not overly exhausted or sore.

With Christmas a few days away I am very grateful to myself for the gift of running and for the experience of committing to something and just doing it.

I had a chat with a friend who said that they were jealous of how inspired I was about running for Michelle and if they could just get inspired that would take something on.

Inspiration is great. But what I am learning is that inspiration often comes after action and not the other way around. I was not inspired to run in the rain. Not at all. But I had a commitment and so I did it. The inpiration came at about mile 16 of 18 when i could experience myself running easily and knowing that I was building towards creating something amazing for Michelle and everyone else involved in this project.

The inspiration for me comes when I choose to inspire others and often for me, that means taking action before I feel inspired.

Either way, it is the commitment followed by the action that has me sitting here smiling and knowing that I have run 18 miles and there are still three months to marathon day.

Here is a quote that my friend Alicia puts on the end of her emails. I love it:

"The irony of commitment is that it’s deeply liberating — in work, in play, in love. The act frees you from the tyranny of your internal critic, from the fear that likes to dress itself up and parade around as rational hesitation. To commit is to remove your head as the barrier to your life." - Anne Morriss

16 miles - we did it our way

This Saturday we are scheduled to run 16 miles. I couldn't join the Roadrunners because Michelle and I are doing the Communications: Power to Create Course at Landmark.

Danielle, my trusty running partner agreed to to run with me on Thursday night so that I had someone to run with and it was so great.

We set off at about 3:30 and ran down Rose, along Main St, up Abbot Kinney, down Washngton, along Pacific to Marina Del Ray, back along speedway and the beack up the Santa Monica Pier, then to the end of Palisades park, up Adealiade to 7th and then up San Vincente to 26th, across 26th, down Montana and then right along 4th back home.

Now if you don't live in LA, what that means is that we ran across four suburbs and ran just under 30kms. It was such a great run, we talked the entire way and both felt really good. The last 10 minutes for me was a bit tough but the motivation of being home soon carried me through.

After the run we ordered dinner and I absolutely crashed. I felt like I was slipping in to a coma and I couldn't eat or even talk. soooo tired.

I went to be at about 10pm and it took my hours to fall asleep. I was so pumped and proud of myself for completing the run and my mind was racing. My body on the other hand so was sooo tired. I got so frustrated that I couldn't fall asleep that I started crying out of sheer exhaustion.

It is funny how emotional you get when you are that tired and when you push your body to new limits. Good emotional detox.

Thanks so much to the ever intrepid and committed Danielle for running with me

x x

Recovery Week - 8 miles (puh-lease)

It's funny to think how quickly I have been able to get to the mindset that 8 miles is an easy week.

I remember the first few runs of 3 and 4 miles where I was so stressed and wanted to go to bed early and was really worried that I wouldn't be able to keep up with the group.

This week was a Recovery Week, so we dropped back to 8 miles. I spent the week so relaxed and looking forward to the run. The change in perception and experience in just a few shorts weeks is awesome.

The run was easy and recovery went well.

During the run, I got to thinking abouth the idea of a recovery week, or a moment to take stock and consolidate what you have achieved.

Michelle and I have been so bust over the last few months with courses and her treatment and work and training and socialising and everything that we love to do. We both love being busy and squeesing the most out of our time. And I love it.

I also enjoy those times when I can just chill and relax and 'recover'

I'm going to build some more of that time in to our weeks. i want to plan recovery before we need it. It just makes sense.

14 miles - I'm back baby!

After last week's run I have spent the last few days pretty certain that I go back down to a slower group. I have been anxious all week and haven't done much running. All I have done all week is stretch and roll around on the foam roller, rolling out the knot in my right leg.

That thing hurts, I made myself cry a couple of times as I rolled away the knot.

Even up to 5 minutes before we ran, I was going to go back to the slower group but at the last minute I decided to stick with Danielle and run with group 8.

It was amazing. I felt so great the entire run, we did a pace of 11:38 mins per mile for 14 miles and I came home and felt great.

At the end of the run, the pace leader was taking us through our stretches and she asked the group who thought that 14 miles was easier than the 13 miles the week before. Alomost 75% of the 40 people in my group raised their hands.

Amazing. She reminded us that our experience will vary with each run and may not necessarily be incrememental. She said that the first time that she took on training for a marathon, she had a terrible run at 9 miles and thought for sure that that meant that 9 miles was her limit. Then she kept going and has now run 20 plus marathons.

I like the freedom in knowing that each experience does not necessarily lead to the next and I can put behind a bad experience as nothing more than that. It doesn't have to mean anything.

And if I do want it to mean something, then I can decide what it means. Last week was bad because I hadn't been stretching. Creating that meaning allows me to use that experience in a positive way.

So now I am in Group 8 and I am here to stay!

Worst experience of my life

I ran 13.2 miles today. My first half marathon and it was horrible. It hurt, I wanted to give up soo much and so many times during the run and I almost cried about 6 times.

Why was it so bad? because I was a knuckle for the week leading up to the run. My right leg (hamstring) had been really tight and I did nothing about it. Then I went up to a faster running group and after about 20mins my right leg just started throbbing with pain. It felt like I had a dead leg. I spent the entire run worrying that I was injuring myself and considering stopping but I am glad that I didn't. I had Danielle by my side and I stuck it out and I completed my first half Marathon and I learnt a very very valuable lesson. Stretch and don't ignore stuff with the hope that it will go away.

Lesson learned. 14 miles, here I come!

Punctuation and a new chapter

This Saturday I ran 12.4 miles which is around 20kms. As I was running with my group, I noticed all of the little 'punctuation points' along the course.

The first turn, the first water station, a traffic crossing, a random homeless person cheering us on. At every one of these points my mind was quickly jolted out of running mode and brought back in to the moment. I enjoyed the moments of punctuation as I went through my run and I realised that I also quite enjoy the punctuation points I have established in my daily routine.

Walk clancy, have a coffee, check my emails..all of these little rituals that break up the rest of my time. They aren't milestones or achievements, they don't mean anything, they are just breaks and just moments in the day.

The power of a break or a change of topic to help move forward when I get stuck or start rambling in an area is awesome. When I feel like an issue is exhausted or that I am waffling on without moving forward, I simple need to punctuate my thoughts and take a new action.

I feel like in my marathon journey, I am turning a new page and beginning a new chapter. This could be the part of the story when it gets hard and it hurts and I am not sure that I am going to be able to achieve my goal.

Until now, this story has been all about setting the goal, gathering the team and getting excited by the possibility of what we are all creating.

That chapter lasted until the 11th mile of my run last Saturday.

At mile 12 my entire right leg cramped up and really really hurt, I kept running but I was kinda limping and I really had to push myself. I was on the verge of tears with pain for the last 10 minutes of my run.

It really hurt and I knew that it was because I hadn't been stretching and looking after myself as well as I should have. I had been feeling tight in my hamstring all week and I have had a couple of weeks of not eating very well. I knew what was happening.

As the pain in my leg increased I started thinking about what would happen if this happened on race day? what if i couldn't do it, maybe i should stop now because what if i am about to get injured? maybe I'm not built to run a marathon...

I finished the run, came home and iced. I was sore all saturday and sunday, hobbling around, feeling sorry for myself and really tight. I kept thinking about how terrible the next few months would be if this is how I was going to feel every week, if this story was going to be about me painfully limping to the finish line.

That is what the story was going to be right up until yesterday (monday) when I went and got a massage with kevin, a muscly chinese shiatsu and reiki master.

When I was with him I remembered all of the amazing achievements I have already made with my body over the last few years, all of the weight I have lost and increased health and vitality I have gained. I have learnt alot about performance and using nutrients to fuel my body and the results have been great. I live with a qualified yoga instructor and health guru - I have all the tools I need.

So the next chapter is not going to be about pain and me enduring this journey, it is going to be about me taking all of the steps outside of my running that I can to help my body get ready for the race: Yoga, cross-training, vegan whole-food diet with lots of superfoods, chinese herbs and lots of rest. I know this works and I know that I haven't been as dedicated to my diet and wholistic health lately as I would usually be. I now know that cheating and cutting corners doesn't work.

So game on, I am punctuating my training and my journey and starting the next chapter..pain is just weakness leaving my body and now I am building towards peak performance.

A Dozen Runners, a Diva'thon Mix and $1000 plus

I am very excited to announce that we now have twelve runners in the Running Backs! I never really even considered that we would reach a dozen runners and I am absolutely delighted that runner number twelve is our great friend Lacy.

Michelle met Lacy in LA a year or so ago she was immediately struck by Lacy's sense of fun and joy, her infectious smile and amazing commitment to living an amazing life. When I met her, i fell in love with her in an instant.

When Lacy moved to New York a year ago, we were both sad to see her go and also really excited for her as she took on her new adventure. Having her on the team will be absolutely amazing and it is also a great way to get her to visit LA and see all of her friends who miss her.

This week, I was in New York for work and I got the chance to catch up with Lacy and she jumped at the chance to join the team and support Michelle....I always knew she would. She's just that kind'a girl. What was great is that she got to meet MG and now they can both train together in New York before flying over for the race.

In other exciting news, my greatest friend hamish (or DJ Hamish as he is known professionally) has made an hour-long Diva Marathon Mix for all of the Running Backs to listen to while we are training. Hamish has posted the note on his facebook page for everyone to listen to and download. Check it out at www.facebook.com/hamishb

I absolutely love the mix and am so touched by Hamish creating it for us. I am also very proud of Hamish for taking on his DJ career. After years of dreaming about it, he entered a competition last year in Sydney and won the right to play at Mardi Gras for thousands of people. He is so incredibly talented and pretty close to my favourite person in the world.

I love that as I am training to run my marathon in LA, I will be listening to Hamish's mix. Two people on opposite sides of the world connected by the tunes of Katy Perry!

Also, you may have noticed we have also raised more than $1000 (5% of our goal) already! This is partly due to my brother taking on this project as his own and some very very generous donations from around the world. Thank you so much to everyone for their donations. We both feel the support and are excited to reach our fundraising goal.

Please feel free to pass this blog and hamish's mix on to everyone you know and please donate what you can.

Tomorrow at training we run 12 miles - that's one third of the total goal.

Recovery Week

This week at Roadrunners we scaled back to 8 miles and ran at a slower pace. The coaches said that it was a recovery week. We had been building steadily for six weeks and I had run 11+ miles the week before, so we needed a rest week before we continued building up our miles.

I found the run really really slow and didn't enjoy it at all. I was frustrated and just wanted to get the run done. I wanted that feeling I had had every other week of having run further than I ever had before. I also noticed that despite running fewer miles and slower, I pulled up really sore. My legs ached on Sunday morning and I felt really tight.

It was all-around a frustrating experience.

What is interesting is that Saturday came at the end of a not-so-good week for Michelle also. She had a back adjustment on the Monday that left her with a bruised rib so she couldn't go to chiro all week. She continued her three hours of exercises at home each day with precaution and really struggled through the week to stay on track while also giving her body time to heal.

We were both tired and had one of those weeks where everything seemed harder than usual.

After the run on Saturday we were talking about how my program was on a 'recovery week' and we realised that Michelle had also been on a recovery week of sorts. Four months in to this commitment, three weeks after the massive high of the intensive treatment at St Cloud and all of these milestones passed...and now what?

Long programs and commitments are exactly that...long. And with anything that stretches over time, it is not always easy to maintain a high level of intensity and drive. Sometimes you do need to give yourself some time to rest, to recover and to get ready to go again and then you need to create your commitment everyday no matter what the circumstances.

I noticed that just as you take a break, whether by choice or not, everything can start to feel like it is falling apart. Maybe this is because you are not getting that incremental feeling of accomplishment and then it becomes easy to lose connection with your long-term goal.

So what have I learnt? I guess I have learnt that it is smart to look after yourself and factor in rest and recovery as part of my training program and see it as just as valuable as achieving a longer run each week as this is not a short-term project. In the grand scheme of things, if one week off or one week at a lower intensity prevents injury or allows me to be ready to improve more in the long run, then it works.

I must admit that I am looking forward to next week's run and I am very happy that Michelle is feeling better and back on track with her treatment. Now, having "recovered" We are both pumped up for the next phase of our programs.

10..no wait...11 miles and 11 runners!

Thursday in the space of about 10 minutes, two more Running Backs joined the team. Michelle's great friend, Kirsty is flying over from Brisbane to run with us and Peter, a new friend who just moved to LA with his wife, also signed up. I can't believe we have more than ten runners on the team and I know that there are a few more about to join (you know who you are!)

This project is getting bigger and bigger and more and more fun as more people join in.

Michelle is busy pulling together the support crew and planning the best post-race party ever and we are brainstorming the best ways to support the runners - everything from playlists and snack stations along the route to massages at the after party.

On Saturday morning Synue, Danielle and I ran 11.5 miles together and it was really fun. We chatted as we ran along the beach and then up San Vincente and back. We had only intended to run 10 miles but I didn't exactly calculate the route properly so we accidentally ran 11.5.

The run was so relaxed with great conversation and I have to say, I felt great. We weren't sprinting by any means but we did keep a good pace and we only stopped for traffic lights and to do a double-take when Arnold Schwarzenegger cycled past us.

So we set out for 10 miles and ran 11 and a half. I had been aiming for 10 runners and now we have 11 and a few more possible runners about to join.

This week I learnt not to limit myself.

I'm not going to limit the number of runners on the team, I am not going to limit the amount of money we can raise and I am not going to limit myself in my training. As long as I am having fun and feeling inspired, I am going to keep aiming for more.

Fun is such an important part of this journey for me. I never want to feel trapped by the commitment that I made, I don't want to take this run too seriously. I want to keep positive and enjoy the training (even or especially when it hurts). Whenever I get tired or sore I just remember that I am doing this to support Michelle and enjoy time with my friends - and having fun at every point along the journey is the only way to achieve my aims.

This project is about fun, vitality and contribution and so far we are well on track.

It's a 'Blog - Off!'

Michelle and I have both been having so much fun with our blogs, with designing them, updating them and recording our journeys.

The more we share what we are up to, the more we find out about and connect with friends, family and colleagues around us. It has been great to share about this project, our lives and what we're up to and to support other people in our lives in what's important to them.

So many people I know are taking on big projects at the moment including three fellow runners:

My friend Tina ran a half-marathon last Sunday to raise money for research in to Non-Hodgkin's Follicular Lymphoma. Tina is amazing and has run a bunch of Marathons and has taken Danielle and I under her wing as we embark on our first. To read more about Tina's cause, click here http://www.discoveringforlife.com/.

Our friend Patty has taken on the project of raising money for Michelle's treatment and is chronicling her own journey to the finish line on http://www.gijanebootcamp.blogspot.com/ . I am so incredibly touched by Patty's friendship and commitment to Michelle's health and the support that she always shows to both of us. Patty is a strong, powerful, graceful and sexy woman who is a total inspiration and a very dear friend. Thanks so much Patty and Happy Birthday for today!

Mo, our friend/sister/neighbor/puppy nanny has also announced her own Marathon project where she is raising money for Michelle's treatment and Soccer Outreach LA on http://www.run2presence.blogspot.com/. Mo is always looking for ways to contribute and make a difference and this project is really inspiring as it uses Soccer and Sports to create social programs for young people.

Michelle has also updated her blog with pics of her in her scoliosis traction chair and with an X-Ray of her back when in traction - this X-Ray of her back is the goal that she is working towards. Michelle's blog is http://www.backfactor.blogspot.com/

Patty, Mo and Michelle's blogs can all be accessed from this page and I encourage you to to follow them also.

So there you have it - lots of blogging going on, lots of amazing stories and powerful women taking on big projects.

I couldn't feel more love or more supported than I do right now. Thanks ladies and let the 'Blog Off' continue!

9 miles solo...or not?

Eventhough today is Friday, I did my long run because I am doing a Communications course at Landmark tomorrow so won't be able to train with The Roadrunners at the usual Saturday morning beach session.

I was pretty apprehensive about running for such a long time by myself so I am especially excited to have not only completed the run but completed it at a pretty good pace.

I ran 9.21 miles in 1 hour 37 mins. That's at an average pace of 10.30 mins per mile. That is super fast for me. Last week with the Roadrunners, it took us 1 hr 47 mins to run 8 miles.

When I got home I was bright red, sweaty and totally exhausted but very proud of myself. I called Michelle, my biggest supporter and reported that I was alive and that I wanted to go out to dinner tonight and order up big!

Eventhough I managed to run by myself, I realised that I wasn't alone. I had Michelle inspiring me, I had Clancy waiting for me at home ready to lick my sweaty ankles, I had all of the Roadrunners who have signed up to support this project and all of my friends and family behind me also.

If it wasn't for every one of these people (yes, I include Clancy as a person) I would have stopped ten times during the run. No questions.

If it wasn't for Michelle taking on her treatment with such determination and grace, I wouldn't be sitting here right now, feeling amazing because I had run 9 miles (almost 15kms) for the first time in my life.

There is no going solo in my life anymore. In fact, there never was. I have always had amazing friends and family ready to support me whenever I actually let them.

Speaking of family, my brother Isaac and his girlfriend Laura kicked off the fund-raising for this project last night with a sponsorship for Michelle. Thank you so much - you guys rock!

Ok, off to eat anything I can get a hold of now.

This has been a great week x

How to Donate

Thanks to everyone for all of your support for this project. It feels great to be part of such a caring community.

I have organised a way for people to contribute to the cause financially. All you need to do is click on the ChipIn widget and make a donation through PayPal. It is all secure and accountable. The widget keeps track of the amount of money raised for everyone to see.

We are aiming to raise $20,000 (at least!, actually I really want to raise $30,000 so we can cover at least half of Michelle's expenses) between now and March 20, 2011. All of the money raised will go to scoliosis treatment through the Clear Institute in Minnesota.

Unless specified by each donor, fifty per-cent of the funds that we raise will go to Michelle's treatment and the other fifty per-cent will go towards the creation of a scholarship for treatment at the Clear Institute.

The traction chairs cost around $4,000 each and a two weeks of treatment costs around $5,500. So if we meet our target, we will be able to help out Michelle and purchase some traction chairs or donate an intensive treatment for a scolios patient. Michelle will work with Dr Woggon to work out the details.

If you would like your donation to go exclusively to Michelle or exclusively to the scholarship, just shoot me an email to rebelneary@gmail.com and I will make sure that happens.

The Widget sends money to my Paypal Account and I am going to set up a separate ING account to hold the funds and earn interest between now and Marathon day. After the Marathon, I will present Michelle with one check, made out to The Clear Institute with her name in the notes.

The widget will be up on this blog so you can track our progress. Please let me know if you have any questions about it. I want this to be as transparent as possible.

I will also add a smaller widget to the bottom of every post, that you can click on if you would like to donate.

Every donation, big or small is very important and we are incredibly grateful to everyone, runners and supporters for being part of this project.


x Rebel

p.s. all those Aussie supporters - with the Aussie Dollar doing so well, now is a great time to donate ;)

OMG! Our ninth runner joins The Running Backs

We are one step closer to our goal of ten runners with confirmation coming in from New York this morning that Michelle Gysberts will be joining The Running Backs to run the LA Marathon on March 20, 2011 and help raise money for Michelle's treatment and The Clear Institute.

Thanks so much MG for taking on this project. If you are anything like me, you probably feel like vomiting right about now!

We are so excited to have you on the team representing the East Coast and impressed that you are taking on the training over the Manhattan winter.

I wonder which kiwi will cross the finish-line first, Luke or MG? I feel a wager coming on!

Great to have you on board and hopefully we can reach our target of 10 runners very soon!

Five months to race day!

It has been a big week.

Michelle got back from Minnesota, looking and feeling amazing after her treatment and her scoliosis traction chair arrived and we set up a special work-out area for her to do her three hours of exercises each day.

Michelle's great friend, Skye is visiting from Australia and we have been revisiting lots of the girls' favorite places around LA and the sun has been rising later so morning walks with Clancy have been mostly in the dark.

There is a lot of commotion in our apartment in the morning, vibrating chairs, yawning dogs, Vita-mixes blending superfood smoothies, exercises and stretches. By the time we leave for work, sometimes it feels like we have lived half a day already.

That's one of the amazing benefits of taking on something that is bigger than you imagined you could achieve. It makes you feel alive, you get more done and you live life more. A sense of purpose combined with a little fear seems to be quite motivating!

Adjusting and fitting everything in has definitely been a theme lately and so to continue that on, I have a few announcements to make:

1. The team is now called "The Running Backs" and the name of this blog has been updated to reflect that. This project is now bigger than just me running for Michelle. We have an entire community building around us. We also have the vision that this project will form a template that other scoliosis patients can use to involve their communities in their treatment.

and

2. In addition to raising money for Michelle's treatment, we are also now working to raise money for a scholarship for treatment through The Clear Insitute. Whether this be purchasing a traction chair for someone who can't afford it or assisting with the costs of the intensive on-site treatment is yet to be determined. Michelle is currently to talking to the Clear Institute to work out what would work best.

For me, taking on the challenge of running has grown and grown as I have shared what I am doing and people have come on board and shown their support. I am now not just running for myself, or Michelle or to raise money. I am running for everyone who has shown so much support and given me so much encouragement. Thank you so much.

The feeling of being challenged and stretched is awesome.

With five months to race day, there is more than enough time to get in to great shape and join The Running Backs on March 20, 2011 as we run the LA Marathon.

If you have ever considered that you would like to run or walk a Marathon, please consider joining our team and taking on something bigger than all of us.

We would love to have you on the team.

For more info on the Marathon, visit http://www.lamarathon.com/

I came across a great quote the other day by George Bernard Shaw - I hope you like it:

"I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no "brief candle" to me. It is a sort of splendid torch, which I have got hold of for the moment, and i want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations."

One 'Mo' runner for team Running Backs

Yay! Mo is going to run the marathon with The Running Backs. Mo is our great friend and Clancy's Nanny and most recently she became our neighbor when she moved in to our old apartment.

We see Mo every day heading off to soccer, riding her bike, playing with ball with Clancy in the alley behind our house. She's a frequent and great guest at the loft and someone who both Hatchie and I are so lucky to have in our lives.

Mo definitely looked after me over the last two weeks while Michelle was away and is always there to help out with piggy which is awesome.

You know those people who you just know you can count on? whether it be for something important, something serious or something fun? well Mo's definitely someone who is always there for the packet and whether she chose to run or not, she was already a core part of the team for this project. Thanks Moshi! we love you and are excited to have you on the team officially as a runner.

So now we have: Rebel, Cristin, Patty, Luke, Danielle, Naomi, James and Mo all running and a few more working out what they need to work out to get themselves on the team.

Come on everyone - I know we can get to 10 runners!

How to eat an Elephant

Yesterday we jumped up from 6 miles to 8 miles.

We ran for 1 hour and 42 minutes from Venice along the beach, up the Santa Monica Pier, to the end of Palisades Park at San Vincente and back.

It was really long and it hurt. My running partner Synue and I definitely felt it and started to get an idea of what running for 5 hours straight is going to feel like.

Today my knees and my feet are sore. I am also carrying tension in my shoulders but I am feeling ok.

So marathon day is just 3.5 times that long, with hills, all at once. Ok, deep breaths.

I am definitely seeing the advantages of taking one step at a time and not getting overwhelmed by the massive goal.

At an old Management retreat for Tourism Australia, my boss Michael Londregan ran a session where he posed the question "how do you eat an elephant?"

The answer, of course, was "one bite at a time."

Amazing results from St. Cloud!

After two weeks in St. Cloud, Minneapolis, Michelle got her results today: a 60 degree reduction in her curves. This is mind-blowingly amazing.

I am so proud of her, her commitment and dedication and so grateful to Dr Woggon and his team for dedicating themselves to finding a non-surgical treatment for scoliosis.

You are all an inspiration.

To read about Michelle's treatment, visit her blog: http://backfactor.blogspot.com

New Shoes = workability

I went to a running store this week and got fitted for running shoes. It was so great to have the guy test and analyse my feet and my running form (which is still questionable) and then fit me with the best shoes for me.

It also felt great to be related to like a runner. I guess I am a runner now.

When I ran with the new shoes, I was amazed to feel the difference that they made in terms of correcting the way my foot landed and the support that they gave my whole body.

When I am running, I don't usually listen to music because I either have Clancy with me, or I am running on the street or with the group and I want to be able to hear what is going on, so I have a lot of time to think. Lots of random thoughts go through my head and as I was running in my new shoes, I was thinking about how important it is to have the right equipment.

Not just running equipment but equipment for daily life. As someone who is committed to things working around me, I know that I need to have the right 'things' to help that happen. Now this isn't a justification for endless shopping sprees, although that would be nice. But there is something to be said for having things work around you.

I finally have a diary/day-planner that I use everyday. I record every appointment I have and every thing I want to do each day. If it goes in the planner, it happens - and that creates workability.

Clancy has a great leash that I can tie around my waist when I run, that has a holder for his poop-bags and that I can easily tie him up outside a shop with. Simple and it works. It makes life so much easier and allows me to get done what needs to get done.

My aunty Rob bought me some prescription sunglasses when I was last in Australia and they make my life easier everyday.

If there is something that I have now that isn't working, like socks with holes in them, a leaky water bottle, a stained shirt or a pen that is running out of ink - I get rid of it and replace it with something that works and does the job.

Since losing weight, I have downsized my wardrobe considerably. Mainly because none of my clothes fit me anymore and I couldn't afford to replace them all but the freedom that has come with having less stuff and just having great pieces that I like and that work for me is fantastic. Moving house four times in the last year has also helped in getting rid of a lot of stuff that I didn't need and just keeping stuff that I absolutely love, use regularly or need to keep until I can afford to replace it down the track.

So all in all, I love my new shoes. They are going to help me get across the finish line and I love living in amazing apartment where everything works and has its place and having things work around me is helping me achieve what I set out to achieve.

International runners sign up

My greatest friend from high school, Naomi and her boyfriend James are going to come over to LA next March and run the Marathon with me.

I am so excited. Naomi has always been such an inspiration to me with her fitness and dedication to working out and I am so excited that we can do this together. I am also really excited for James to come over so we can spend some extra time together and they can both meet Michelle and Clancy.

March 2011 is looking like it is going to be a big party in Santa Monica. I have also asked my brother and his girlfriend to come over and a few friends from New York are considering flying over and running as well.

It feels so great to be part of a big project with lots of people involved. Even the people that have said that they don't want to run, are thinking of ways to get involved and support me in my run and Michelle in her treatment.

Thanks Nazzy - can't wait to take this journey with you x x

6 miles = 10kms

This week we ran 6.14 miles, which equals 10kms. I absolutely never thought in my wildest dreams that I would ever run 10kms and I have to say, it wasn't too hard. All week I had been sick and I didn't do any training so I was worried about whether I was going to be able to make it.

I think the week before I over-trained and didn't get enough sleep, which eventually led to me getting sick. So I have learnt a very important lesson: trust the program and coaches and do what they say. They are the experts and the program is designed to get me to the finish line on marathon day. They always say, do your mid-week runs but don't over-train because that can lead to injury. This week, running on fresh legs, I felt so much better.

I have also learnt the value of sleep and really taking care of myself in terms of diet and stretching and rest. It is making a huge difference and giving my body a chance to rejuvenate after each big run.

Michelle is in Minnesota at the moment, undergoing her two weeks of intensive treatment for her back. She is working really hard and had to go through a similar process of really trusting the doctors and the program that she has signed up to.

I guess you never really know whether something new is going to work. You just get to choose whether you are going to trust it and fully commit to it or not. We both researched what we signed up for, so now is the time to get in there and give it everything that we have, to do what we're told and focus on doing every step as well as we can.

Another team member and another week of training

My good friend, Danielle has taken up the challenge and signed up for the Marathon an the Road Runners. She ran in her first training session on Tuesday and seemed to take it all in her stride. She is such an amazing person who was so eager to sign up and support our team. We only met two months ago and I was really touched when she agreed to sign up without even meeting Michelle. She's a great runner too.

Me on the other-hand...well, I was ok but pulled up pretty sore on Sunday and Monday, got myself a head-cold and have been feeling pretty crappy all week. I had such a busy weekend and could tell that I was tired and needed to rest but didn't listen to my body. Hence sickness.

Nothing serious though and I am determined to run on Saturday as we are running 5 miles and I don't want to get behind. I have also made friends with a cool chick in my Roadrunners group and have agreed to run together so I don't want to let her down.

I have two events for work this week - Thursday I have a wine tasting for 250 at the NZ Consul-General's residence and on Friday we are doing ANOTHER AFL Grand Final party since they drew last week and were not smart enough to play extra time and get it all done in one night. knuckles.

Packet goes to St Cloud Minnesota on Sunday for two weeks so I am trying to stay away from her so that she doesn't catch my cold. I am not looking forward to her being away for two weeks but am very excited by what the treatment will bring. Her back is looking better every day and she is strong and healthy.

i will have more personality next time I promise x x

Three miles and three powerful words

I went to my first training session today with the LA Roadrunners. We ran three miles in 20 different pace groups and there were three words that stuck in my head all morning and every time I felt an impulse to not go or to stop running.

Those three words were - Just Do It

Nike is really on to something with their slogan.

Just Do It.

I remember hearing once in a Landmark course that in life:

You either have the results that you're after

or

you have the reasons why you didn't get what you wanted

Results OR reasons - you choose. Very simple and I think pretty true.

There were hundreds of people training this morning that could have chosen any number of reasons why they couldn't join the group. Too old, Too fat, Too old and too fat, mother, too busy, etc but every one of us made a choice to Just Do It, to put the reasons aside and take action.

Now, on Saturday afternoon, we are left with the results. We ran. We started training and we left the all the reasons why it could not happen behind us.

Action definitely feels better than all of those times in the past when I have reasoned and rationalized my way out of doing something that I kinda wanted to do.

Thoughts on consciousness and commitment

Tomorrow is my first training session with the LA Roadrunners and I am both excited and nervous. I remember at a Landmark event, Richard Condon once saying that you are never more alive than when you register for something. Never more alive than when you consciously commit to something. At that moment, you are most engaged and most present.

I think I agree with Richard. If aliveness is a combination of excitement and fear and determination and possibility that is definitely how I felt when I made this commitment.

It is easy to understand his point when you think of big things that you have signed up for like a Marathon, or taking a new job or starting University. For me, the trick is replicating that feeling of 'registration' with smaller day-to-day actions.

Can I conjure up that same feeling when I get up early tomorrow? After all, the act of getting up and training is the fulfillment of the commitment I made. Or is the trick to re-register and re-commit every time I take action?

I have gotten a lot over the last few years by simply trying to be more conscious of my life and my actions. I now (mostly) eat food that I can feel good about eating and I know does good things for my body. I am much better at keeping my word and sticking to plans, I am more disciplined - all this feels great and I can see the results. Is this 'consciousness' and stronger commitment to follow through what I say I will do similar to what Richard was talking about?

It feels like it is. I definitely feel more alive.

Hot stud joins The Running Backs

Confirmation has just come in from Adelaide that Luke is joining the team and will run the Marathon with us!

Thank you sooo much Luke. You are such an awesome friend to the packet and a total spunk in those running shorts.

Patty running Marathon too

Last night at dinner, Patty casually mentions that she had already signed up for the LA Marathon and is training with The LA Roadrunners. Awesome. Another fantastic training partner and post-run Acai bowl eater.

Pickle supports the Packet

Cristin (aka Pickle) is joining The Running Backs. Yay! Thanks Pickle! Training begins this weekend.

The Marathon begins....

Today is Thursday. Almost 48 hours since I decided I was going to do this - since I decided to take on the challenge of running the LA Marathon. To be honest, I have been toying with the idea for the last couple of weeks and every time I seriously considered it, I got so terrified that I put it on the back-burner again.

You see my packet, Michelle has scoliosis. She has a big curve in her back and was lucky to escape having her spine fused when she was younger. Recently, at the age of 32 she has undertaken a very onerous course of non-surgical treatment with the aim of reducing the curve in her spine.

She goes to the chiro three times per week, each time for three hours where she is whacked and cracked and put in to traction devices and bashed around. It takes her about an hour's drive to get to the clinic. On top of that she does one hour of exercises at home both morning and night. Every morning and every night, no matter what. Next month, she is going to The Clear Institute in Minnesota for two weeks of intensive treatment and when she returns, she will bring home a traction chair that she will sit in for a additional 30 minutes every morning and every night.

It's a massive commitment.

And she is totally committed.

If everything goes as planned, she will reduce the curve in her spine by 30-50% and add ten years to her life expectancy.

As an obvious beneficiary of her living a longer and healthier life, I am so excited by the treatment and what it offers.

I am so proud of her not only for taking this on but also for the way she has taken it on. She is so graceful and diligent and fiercely determined. As usual, she is a soul on fire who inspires me every day.

As I have watched her over the last few months, get up early, make up extra work hours, come home exhausted and often bruised from her treatment, I have tried to support her but have felt unable to really make a difference over and above cooking dinner and the usual things you could think of.

The physical adjustment to the treatment has been manageable, we have been working through the logistics of incorporating the treatment in to our lives with a shared car and work but three weeks ago when she got a notice that her health insurance will not cover any more of her treatments and we did our budgets, we both realized that a big challenge is going to be the expense of the treatment.

It looks like the first year is going to cost us $20,000 - $30,000 USD.

holy crap.

but you can't put a price on your health, can you?

so hence my cunning plan was borne: run a marathon, support my packet by going on a similar physical journey to her, ask our friends to join us and raise money to go towards her medical expenses.

easy.

easy?

I have never been a runner. I never ran track in school, I never ran for the train. I couldn't. My knees hurt and I would get out of breath too quickly so I never gave it a shot. Then over the last few years as I have taken control of my fitness I have slowly been able to cobble together the occasional jog, which has made me feel like a rock star. I love the idea of being "a runner;" it sounds so romantic and so quietly powerful.

The most I have managed to run in all of my attempts is maybe 2-3 miles with lots of breaks due to my faithful companion, Clancy, stopping to pee on every second tree. 26 miles will be a challenge but if Oprah can do it, then so can I, right?

So for the next 26 weeks, I am going to train four times a week, I am going to run every Saturday morning with the LA Roadrunners and I am asking my friends to support us by sponsoring me to complete the LA Marathon in March 2011.

Thanks for coming along for the ride