Can you guess the significance of the following number?

3: 37

That is the amount of time that I spent running on Saturday morning… 3 hours and 37 minutes.

Another significant number?

4

That is the time I got up in order to begin the 3 hour and 37 minute run.

A final number for you to ponder?

15

That is the number of minutes that I missed of my son’s soccer game because of my 20 mile training run.

But at least I made it. I was a pungent but PRESENT mother. And because that mattered to my son, it mattered to me.

I’ve tried from the beginning of this training program to not let it interfere with my family life. I get up at ridiculously early hours of the morning to train so that the my husband and kids feel like they are a priority over the running.  At least, I hope they feel that way.

It is now six weeks until the New York Marathon.  I have two weeks left to raise $1,500 for the ING Run For Something Better Charity. It is truly an honor to help them fulfill their mission for children. Won’t you please consider donated a couple of dollars to my cause? Even $5.00 can make a difference to a child. Believe me, it is true.

Tags: 2010, marathon, New York City Marathon, run for something better charity, Running, training for the NYC Marathon

NYC Marathon Training Report:  10 weeks out!  A check in on my training and fundraising to date!

• DONATION PAGE
• If you are a company interested in promoting healthy lifestyles and working to stop childhood obesity… Won’t you consider sponsoring me?  Email me at jlgerlock@comcast.net for details on how we can work together!

Tags: Childhood obesity, NYC Marathon 2010, Obesity, orange laces, Run For Something Better, training for the NYC Marathon

Best run to date = pain.  Who knew?

This week was my longest run to date in FOR-EVA.  Katie & I tackled 14 miles, six miles of which was hills. The weather was good, we had endless energy and the conversation was flowing. It was glorious.  (And for the record -  we didn’t walk ANY of the hills.  MIRACULOUS.)

Today though, today I am so sore.  The best way to describe the pain is to liken it to the first time you do a lower body leg workout.  The day after pain you experience.  The I-can’t-walk-why-am-I-doing-this-again (?) pain.

I feel like an old woman today. Ouch.

When I feel like this my mind starts to ask questions.  Questions like “WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE, JENNIFER?
My mind sometimes sounds like my dad.

You wanna know why?  For the kids.  For my kids. For your kids.

Let me explain: One day my friend Tracey encouraged me to take a five mile run with her through the park.  I told her that there was no way in hell I could run five miles WITH HER. (She had previously run a marathon.) But her persistence and encouragement that day paid off.  I ran that five miles and I realized that I was limiting myself.  That I could accomplish great things in life by taking it ONE STEP AT A TIME and by believing in myself.

That day represented SO MUCH MORE than ‘going out for a run.” It represented A PHILOSOPHY. The realization that I really could accomplish the unthinkable. And it shapes my life to this day.

My only wish?  That I had learned it sooner.  I am embarking on this charity run in order to pass that spirit along to MY CHILDREN and TO OTHER CHILDREN. I want them to find their power NOW.

So all of this training and running is for ONE REASON: To raise money for the “Run for Something Better” charity. This charity focuses on changing children’s lives through fitness. R.F.S.B. encourages healthy lifestyles, empowerment and the prevention of childhood obesity. They fund running and fitness education programs in schools to show kids how exercise can help achieve good health,  positive self-esteem and self-worth.

And people, I need to raise $2,500. HOLY CRAP.  I need to raise it in the next two months.

Yes, I am scared.  I’m not sure that I can do it.  I’m nervous.  Very nervous.  What I know is that I can’t do it alone.

Will you help me? Won’t you please consider making a donation to support and empower children? (Totally tax deductible, of course.)

• You can donate at my Active.com page.
• OR via PayPal to jlgerlock@comcast.net
• OR via check (happy to give you the address and information if you need it)
• OR your business could sponsor me. (Further details can be worked out on how this can be mutually beneficial. I’ll blog. I’ll tweet. I’ll wear your logo on a coolio t-shirt. And so will Katie because she is a fantastic pal! Email jlgerlock@comcast.net)

AND/OR

• Support me and my cause and help propel it forward through social media. Facebook, Twitter, on your blog.

Together we can help transform children’s lives and attitudes!  If you’ll support my commitment to Run For Something Better, I’ll do all the training.  TRANSLATION: Pain free for you!

Thank you so very much!

Tags: Health, marathon training, new york city marathon 2010, orange laces, Philanthropy, run for something better charity, training for the NYC Marathon

Since today is “national running day” I thought I would post a vlog on how the NYC marathon training is going…

A post about the charity that I am raising money for can be found here. If you would like to skip that and just donate, please feel free!

Tags: 2010 NYC marathon, ING Run For Something Better, training for the NYC Marathon

Yeah.  You read right.

I’M RUNNING THE NEW YORK MARATHON IN NOVEMBER.

I signed up this morning as a charity runner.  Oh. My. Gosh.  The charity I am raising funds for is “Run For Something Better.”   Please take a moment to read more about this charity and why I chose it here. Because, quite frankly,  I’m gonna need everyone’s help to raise funds.

I’m going to be honest with you – there are virtually a thousand reasons why committing to this marathon is a stupid idea. There are a thousand reasons why I WON’T BE ABLE TO DO IT.

Why don’t we just get them out of the way right here and now, okay?

• I am not in shape to run a marathon.  Hell, I haven’t run more than 4 miles consecutively in months.
• I am fairly certain that my IT Band issue is just lurking there.  Waiting to become inflamed again and derail my efforts.  That petrifies me.
• I am in the beginning stage of launching a new business with my partner.  Me? Busy?  Only if you consider working until late into the evening and uber-early in the morning busy.
• I have two children, a husband and a household to manage.  We are in soccer mania people!  And call me crazy but I would like to actually spend time with the hubby once in awhile.
• I am a good 15-20 pounds over my ideal weight.  And by “ideal” I mean healthy marathon weight. I have a lot of training to do.  I’m not even on a strength training program yet.

OKAY.  DONE WITH THAT NONSENSE.

You wanna know why I will succeed? I have a passion for it. It has been a goal of mine since I was a small child.  I vividly remember living in Fort Wadsworth (Staten Island) at 10 years old when marathon time came around.  Runners would camp out overnight in our back yard.  I just remember thinking to myself, “What are they DOING?! Why in the world are they running so far?!” I was intrigued. I didn’t start running myself until about eight years later and didn’t pick it up as a sport until I was in my thirties.

I’m not fast. I’m not slow.  I’m just an average mamma runner with a dream.  The NYC Marathon has been on my “bucket list” since I can remember.

I’M GOING FOR IT!!!

I hope you will support me.  Perhaps some of you will give financially so that I can raise money for the charity. Perhaps some of you will cheer me on via Twitter or hang out here more often on my blog as I chronicle the journey.  Perhaps some will support me on race day…

Whatever you do, know that I will need you and that I appreciate you.  I hope that you find inspiration in this everyday, normal, trying-to-hold-it-together, working mom’s journey!

BELIEVE.

Tags: NYC marathon charity runner, training for the NYC Marathon