So Others Might Eat (SOME) Thanksgiving Trot for Hunger

Dear Followers,

I am registered as a participant in SOME’s Thanksgiving Day Trot for Hunger. This annual 5K run/walk helps to raise awareness and critical funds for SOME (So Others Might Eat), a non-profit organization that has been serving the hungry and homeless in Washington, DC for over 40 years. SOME serves more than 1,000 hot meals to hungry men, women and children each day and also provides clothing, medical care, job training, affordable housing and other services to help homeless individuals and families become independent. For more information about SOME and its important work, please visit their website.

The Thanksgiving Day Trot for Hunger takes place on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 28, 2013, but my race starts today -- the race toward my fundraising goal! Please support me in this important goal by visiting my fundraising page and making a contribution. Making a tax-deductible donation online makes supporting SOME quick and easy; however, if you would prefer, you can send your contribution to the address listed below.

To mail in a donation: Make all checks payable to: “Trot for Hunger” and please put my name in the Memo field.

Mail to: Trot for Hunger, 71 'O' Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001

Your tax-deductible gift makes a difference to SOME. Whatever you can give will help - it all adds up!  

I greatly appreciate your support and will keep you posted on my progress.

Sincerely,

Gina

To make a donation online now, please visit my personal page.

PS: I will also be running with my friends - Lisa, Steve, and Tyler Helm - and we are Team Turkey Gravy! And Steve really makes THE best turkey gravy!

Race Report: Hershey Half Marathon

I ran the Hershey Half Marathon with friends and family last weekend.

Packet Pickup with Reese's!

It was my friend Lisa's very first half and my cousin Lynn's second but her first since back surgery! Lynn's friend Marcy ran her first half also. We had a great time! I also ran into Christy from Team Z on the course and saw her husband Greg after I came across the finish line. 

Pre-Race! 

Well, I actually wrote my race report in Team Rabbit rap fashion and it is posted on the Team Rabbit blog.  

Of course a visit to Hersheypark would not be complete without a visit (or two) to Chocolate World! There is definitely some yummy stuff to be had at that place! 

The first visit...

Next up: The Great Pumpkin Ride!

Happy and Healthy Training! 

CanLake50k - check!

Last week was full of firsts for me! Well, actually just two...

A week ago I blogged about my first 5-mile open water swim, which was Sunday, October 6. I didn't mention it then, but this was a great event! If all goes well I plan to do this race again next year! 

This past Saturday, Saturday, October 12, I completed my first ultramarathon - The CanLake 50k - along with Carol. Pam also ran but she had previously entered ultramarathon territory when she completed the JFK 50 Miler in November 2011! You can read the Team Rabbit race report rap, here! I would definitely recommend this race for anyone looking to venture in the Ultra world! 

Ohhh, I'm (about) halfway there! 

Needless to say it was quite a day! And all in all I had a great time! We supported our friend Sally who was making her second attempt at the 50 mile distance. And she dug deep and did it! So very proud of her - what an accomplishment! I am truly in awe by those who did the full distance. Earlier in the year, Sally had 'invited' us to run this race by writing us the most awesome poem. You can read it here! 

All four of us were supported by THE best Sherpa (Handler in the Ultra-world) EVER! Our friend and teammate, P-Diddy! She ROCKED by being all over the course for us and taking lots of fun pictures to commemorate the event! So much FUN! Thanks, P!

Here is a successful Team Rabbit regrouped at the finish line! 

Happy finishers! 

Believe it or not I have a half marathon this coming Sunday! I may still be tired from my 50k effort but I'm super excited as I'll be joining my friend Lisa on her first half adventure and it will be my first race with my cousin Lynn. And her friend Marcy will be doing her first half as well! Fun will be had by all, I'm sure. And...there will be chocolate involved! Sweet!! 

Happy and Healthy Training! 

Race Bucket List...

Today I saw a blog post (Thanks, Heather!) which reminded me that I have a ‘race’ bucket list! Here it is, in no particular order. Well, that’s not true; it is in swim - bike - run - triathlon order!

• BaySwim 
• St. Croix 5 Mile Swim
• A BackroadsCycling Tour in Italy 
• Bolder Boulder
• Boston Marathon (only if I qualify before I die. Obviously)
• ChicagoMarathon
• DaytonaBeach Half Marathon
• GoofyChallenge
• LittleRock Marathon
• MississippiBlues Half Marathon
• NYCMarathon
• Rock NRoll Las Vegas Half Marathon
• Vermont City Marathon
• Ironman70.3 Italy
• PhiladelphiaTriathlon 

There will be more… this list is evolving! I’d love to do a race in every state. And the distance does not matter – I’m ‘not one of those’ (haha just kidding)! I guess I need to do some race research. For the most part I’d like to do run races in every state. Although, a National swim event would be fun to plan for, or a century bike event that I could drive to. Of course, as a Half Fanatic, a fun half marathon would be the best thing to find. The distance is doable on a long weekend of travel and still be able to do something touristy while there. But a 10K (like the Bolder Boulder) or 5K would be worth it, too! If a race has a fun theme, I say why not!?

States I’ve raced in so far:

Arizona

California

DC

Indiana

Kentucky (thanks to the Flying Pig Half, I’m counting it!)

Maryland

New Hampshire

New York

North Carolina

Ohio

Virginia

Wisconsin

I have a lot more states to go!

International Race Locations:

London, England

Clearly I need to work on my international locations!

Anyway, this weekend I am traveling to Canandaigua, New York for my FIRST Ultra running event! The Can Lakes 50K! I've raced in NY before: Ironman Lake Placid (twice) in Lake Placid (duh) and the Musselman Half Iron distance tri (once) in Geneva. This will be my first run-only event! I’m headed up with Team Rabbit and we will all be doing the 50K. However our friend and Rabbittear who wrote us an awesomepoem to entice us to run, will be doing the 50 miler! Go, Sally!!!!

Happy and Healthy Training!

Just Keep Swimming, Swimming, Swimming!

Sunday I participated in an open water swim event. Now, I've done OWS events before but this was my longest one to date! I completed the To the Bridge and Back 5 mile swim with Carol! Too bad Team Rabbit couldn't wear ears on their swim caps... Hmm. Anyway, it was a success! You can read our Bridge and Back Rap here! 

I had decided to wear a wetsuit because it was such a long event. In hindsight, I wish I'd gone without! It was a fairly warm day and the water temperature was 73 degrees or so. Definitely do-able without a wetsuit. Since I had full sleeves on, my shoulders are a little tired still, two days after the fact. 

The course was literally 2.5 miles up the James River to the World War II Veterans Memorial Bridge - and back! There were specific buoys along the way which helped gauge where you were on the course. At 1.5 miles there was a pontoon boat where we had been instructed to NOT touch the boat or get DQ'd! Yikes!! In the swim portion of a triathlon you are actually allowed to touch boats as long as there is no forward motion. But this was a swim event and that wasn't allowed! Anyway, at the pontoon boat the volunteers there would hand you water, Heed, gels, or crackers. You could stop there on the way out and back and everyone was so nice! And I may have had the song "Pontoon" in my head once or twice. I actually was singing "Midnight at the Oasis" because I thought of the pontoon boat as an oasis for the swimmers! 

And of course what ELSE went through my head during 5 miles of continuous swimming, were the words of Dori! 




Happy and Healthy Training! 

Next up: CanLake 50K! 

Throw Back Thursday!

Here I am after my first triathlon in June 2000 with my older son and my mom! Back then I was so happy to finish this race, the Breezy Point Tri - a sprint! Never would I have imagined then that I'd do an Ironman one day. 

Let alone four! 

Speaking of firsts... This weekend I'll be doing my first 5 mile open water swim with Carol! It is taking place in the James River in Midlothian, Virginia! We swim 2.5 miles to the bridge and back! I've swam more than 5 miles before. It was earlier this year on Mother's day, May 12. But it was in a pool and I got a break between each 100! Yup, Carol and I swam 100x100 yards, which is about 5.68 miles. It was fun! This time we will only get a break if/when we stop at the pontoon boat for water and gels. I'll probably be singing that Little Big Town song "Pontoon" in my head after that! What a GREAT song! 

Tune in next week to hear about the swim and for the preview to my next first!

Happy and Healthy Training!! 

2013 Ironman Wisconsin

Here is my 'personalized' 2013 Ironman Wisconsin race day video!