Two Weeks to the LA Marathon ...And my 5K!

I finally went out for my first run since my little experiment in half-marathoning.  I waited a solid week and a half before doing my recovery run.   I realize that this is not consistent with most individual's training methods, but considering that walking hurt for the first four days, I felt it an appropriate amount of time.  I kept it short, about 2.5 miles.  I kept it slow.   In addition, my knee hurt like a bitch.   There is no question that my lack of training wrecked havoc on my IT band.     The pain forced me to break out the dreaded foam roller.   For those of you who don't know about the foam roller count yourself lucky.   It is a device of torture, if King Henry VIII's court knew about it; it would have put the rack out of business.   Obviously, I exaggerate, but only slightly.   When selecting a foam roller, you can select a "softer" or a "harder" one.   The sports injury doc that I visited for my IT trouble back in July recommended harder.      He assured me that it would eventually stop hurting when I used it.   It did not.    Rather than endure the ongoing misery inflicted by the foam roller I chose instead to stop running.   Okay, that's not actually true; you all already know the story.    Regardless, the point remains, the foam roller is back, and so am I.  

On the heels of my recent adventure, I decided to commit to something that every year I wimp out on.   I am on the resource board for Sojourn Services for Battered Women and their Children.  I joined the Board in 2008 and participate in fundraising activities for the organization.   One of their major fundraisers is the Los Angeles Marathon, but I never participated in that one.  I always thought a marathon was impossible (until last year) and it just didn't seem quite worth it to get up at 6:00 a.m. to go run a 5K.  However, this year, I decided to bite the bullet and run it.    It is a great cause and I am proud to be a part of it.     There are no fundraising minimums, there is no team to help you train.  It is just people from all walks of life getting out there and raising money for a good cause.   Some people run the LA marathon itself, others run the 5K, as I will be doing, and many walk the 5K.  

I know that my friends came out last year and offered amazing support when I trained for the marathon to run in honor of my Dad.   I raised $3,200 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.    There are only two weeks left until the 5K, as opposed to the four months I had to raise money for TNT, and I know the economy is still tight.    But, if you have the funds, and want to end domestic violence, I encourage you to donate.   Those of you in Los Angeles, I would welcome you to come out and run with me for Sojourn.    

http://2013sojournmarathon.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=1040906&lis=0&kntae1040906=952C3A243CC3443FADA947882111F5CA&supId=378539010