The journey so far

Training
My husband took this photo as I headed out the door for my run this morning. It's nice to have some visual evidence that the training is beginning to pay off. I'm definitely in better shape than I've been for a year or two. The trick over the remaining weeks will be to train hard enough to continue improving my strength, speed and endurance, without pushing so hard that I injure myself. I wish the line between the two were a bit clearer sometimes.

Mostly, I'm feeling quite good -- energised and excited about the training ahead. However, my right leg and hip have been acting up a bit so it may be time to seek some expert advice. I suspect the discomfort I've been having is the result of a combination of things: a torn right calf muscle (from a childhood accident), worn shoes that need replacing, relatively high mileage, and weak muscles in my hips. Hopefully, with some focussed treatment, exercises and new shoes that offer more support, the hip and leg will begin to feel better soon.

Fundraising

Fundraising is going better than I dared hope when I took this on. With 10 weeks still to go until race day, I am only $1,300 short of reaching my goal of $6,000. The generosity my family, friends and colleagues have shown has been truly wonderful. It's also been wonderful to be sponsored by a number of people who don't know me at all -- but who want to support what I'm doing because they cared about Jon or simply want to contribute to finding a cure for blood cancers. I can't begin to express how moving and motivating it is to know that so many are behind me as I head into the toughest weeks of training.

Of course, I won't stop fundraising until race day -- even if I hit the $6,000 mark before then. I still have a number of friends and colleagues I want to contact in the coming weeks, and I plan to canvas my neighbours, and host a fundraising event in early October just before I head for Chicago. Who knows -- maybe $8,000 or even $10,000 isn't beyond the realm of possibility if things continue to go as well as they have been. Only time will tell.