SUCCESS AT THE BALTIMORE HALF MARATHON 2011

I JUST COMPLETED MY THIRD HALF MARATHON!!!! Can you believe it?! I can't believe I can even SAY that! And even better, I completed with a personal BEST -- 3:53:35! Yes I broke the 4 hour barrier -- and that was walking! I couldn't have done it without the support of the coaches at TNT, my awesome walking partner Carla B, the unflagging support of my sister Tasha and all my family and friends. The experience was amazing and I think that I made my dad proud :-)

And that success has made me desire to keep it up and come in at 3:45 in my next race -- and yes, Carla and I have already signed up for another 1/2 marathon in DC in March 2012. And we are contemplating at least 2 more as well. Though we are aching and sore now, we are already itching to start our run/walk training for the next race.

I want to thank you all again for all your support!! Because of you and people like you the Maryland team was able to raise over $115,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. This money will be used to to support 10 researchers in the Maryland area AND to help LLS improve the quality of life for blood cancer patients and their families. I wish you could have heard the heartfelt thanks of a cancer survivor and the parent of a cancer survivor on Friday and you were understand how much of a difference you all make in people's lives!

A Busy Weekend

So its been awhile since I posted -- but I thought I would recap my weekend! So on Saturday 9/10/11 I did my long slow day walk with Team in Training. Hurricane Irene completely wiped out the NCR trail so we moved our training to Loch Raven Reservoir. I know I've posted pictures of the reservoir before, but I have never seen the reservoir so full or the dam running as forcefully as it is in the picture that I posted here. So instead of doing the 11 miles that was originally posted, my walking partners and I did 7 miles of loch raven hills! YAY!!! Yes my knee was sore and I got another blister, but its getting down to the wire. so we toughed it out! Then after that I headed over to my church to work on our book bag give away that was postponed from last saturday due to Irene. Thank God for Play sport body wipes... just sayin' :-)

Then today I did my first 5K -- I walked/ran in the 9/11 5K this morning at 8:46 am. Yup, you didn't misread -- I did do a few jogging intervals. Of course I use the term jogging loosely as I maintain that I'm just bouncing and am not convinced that I am moving any faster :-) At any rate, I did finish in 53:09!!! I was so excited until I saw that a 62 year old woman finished in 27 minutes......LOL!! more power to her! I can only pray that when I'm that age I can finish in maybe 45 minutes :-)

So as I write, I am contemplating a long overdue hot soak and then rubbing down with Precise. Its been a long, long, but satisfying weekend!

So time is winding down for the fundraising for LLS -- For those of you who have been meaning to support me, please take 5 minutes to visit my TNT fundraising web page to make that donation. All you need to do is click I WANT TO JOIN YOUR WINNING TEAM and join up with me today!

Week 13 of Training -- Did You See Me?!

So last week was week 13 of training. What can I say?! After basically doing a REALLY light training week. I hit the Loch Raven Reservoir with the team. My couch Heather decided to hang with me, the only walker and give me the challenge I needed! We walked a bit faster and I even wait for it.... wait for it... did a SLOW JOG! As my cousin would say... SHUT THE FRONT DOOR!!!

And I enjoyed it so much that on Monday, I did intervals of 5 min of walking with 1 min of jogging!!! And I didn't die :-p And I'm thinking of doing it again on Wednesday!!! Who would have thought that Ty would be seriously considering jogging?! WHAT?! Maybe that Disney half marathon is closer than I think.

All of this is happening because I made a commitment to Team in Training and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and most importantly to those living with and fight to overcome blood cancers. These folks are encouraging me to become more than I thought I could be. I know my dad would be proud!

Now I am encouraging each of you reading this blog to make the commitment to the cause. No, you don't have to get up and hit the trail with me in the mornings :-) All you have to do is click I WANT TO HELP and make you 100% tax deductible donation today! And if you donate $10 or $25 you will get raffle tickets for a chance to win a MICHE Bag, a MASSAGE, and A WEEK of FREE CHILDCARE! If you are feeling REALLY lucky, you can enter a raffle for a new LEXUS! So your donation will not only fund research for finding a cure for blood cancers, but you could win some cool prizes as well! Please make your donation TODAY!!

Week 12 of Training -- It's the SHOES!

So... funny story...

Look at my shoes... After week 11 this is what they looked like. I needed new shoes already. And guess what I went to Falls Road Running to get a new pair on Friday. But I did this during work hours so I didn't try them on etc. etc. Fast forward to Saturday morning at 5:30. I open my box to discover that I had the WRONG SHOES!!! That's right -- I had the wrong pair of shoes... What to do? I had to be on the trail at 6:30 am and the store doesn't open until 9:30 or so. Well there was nothing for it but to wear those worn out shoes. I had made a promise and I have recommitted to the cause. So, I laced up and hit my 8.5 miles on Saturday morning. My feet hurt like h - e - double hockey sticks! My knee was hurting. My girl Carla hung in with me and I made it through. My reward was a nice hot shower and then a soak before heading out to see Transformers in 3 -D. We won't talk about how stiff I was when I got up :-)

So I've recommitted -- and I'm still looking for a few good people to join my virtual team! Those battling blood cancers are counting on our support! I am willing to do the legwork and suffer the pain of worn shoes so you don't have to! All you have to do is choose to MAKE A DIFFERENCE TODAY. You can make a donation and get a chance to win a miche bag, a massage, a free week of childcare and some other goodies! And if you are feeling really lucky, you can try to win a car from LLS -- contact me for details!

Week 11 of Training -- Feel the Burn

I know it's been awhile, but I am still in training! We have been walking about 8 miles on our long slow days for the past two or three weeks. This weekend I will actually be walking 9 miles on Saturday! Feel the burn! And yes we've been walking in crazy heat and yes, in the rain. Walking 4 miles in the rain is no picnic. But me and my team did it!

Oh did I mention the Wednesday Hill Training? I love hill training in Patterson Park and you know that's saying a lot for me cause I hate parallel parking :-P

Why are we going through all this training? What are we doing it for? We are pulling together to fight a battle to end all blood cancers... a battle that we can WIN, but only with your help! I know these economic times are tough, but I am asking you to join the battle! Even a $10 or $25 donation can help toward finding a cure and helping those struggling with cancers!! And remember, a $10 or $25 donation will also get you chances to win the basket of goodies that have been donated to the cause. Want to learn more, head to the website: http://pages.teamintraining.org/md/balt11/twatkin6sl!

Be a Part of the First Annual Battle Blood Cancer Raffle

You have a chance to win some great prizes!
Go to my fundraising web site:
http://pages.teamintraining.org/md/balt11/twatkin6sl
and make your donation, leave a comment, and I will send you tickets!
1 for $10 and 3 for $25!
Join the battle today!

The Silent Mile

This past Saturday, I participated in the state-wide training event at Centennial Park in Columbia MD. It was a great time and I got to see old friends on the hiking and walking teams from previous years. I made a new friend... Paul who was my walking partner for our first 6 mile training of the season.

The TNT coaching team had arranged something new for this event... The silent mile. Basically there were volunteers lined up over the first mile of training to hold up posters to show who we are fighting for... And during that mile we were to walk, ride, or run without music and without talking to reflect on what we do and why. It was a very touching thing. I found myself thinking of my dad and wishing that I had had the strength to make a poster for him. I was sad for all the little kids that were going through this fight. Sad for all those that had lost loved ones to the battle. It was a sobering mile of training.

After that, Paul and I got to know each other over the remaining five miles of the course. We weren't all that fast this week, but in my defense....it was really hot :-P I'll make it up next week!

Training and Fundraising

I know, I know... I've been quite silent these past few weeks. But I really have been training :-) I have posted a picture of my 6/18 long, slow day at the Loch Raven Reservoir! I have been doing 4 miles each Saturday in June and looking forward to my first 6 mile walk of the season this weekend! I have gotten my time down a bit -- 17:43 min/mile today. We shall see if I can shave a few more minutes off that time!

So in addition to training I've been working on a few fundraisers. The one I am posting today is an LLS-wide event! You know what they say, you gotta play to win! And in this Drive for a Cure Raffle you can support LLS and get a chance to win a new car. Check out the details below:

LLS - wide Drive for a Cure Raffle!

Looking for a way to help cure cancer AND win BIG?! For just $250 a ticket, you can enter to win a 2011 LEXUS GS 350 AWD! There will only be 300 tickets sold so these are GREAT odds! If you buy a ticket, please make sure to mention my name (Tyleach Watkins) as the seller and send me an email to watkins.t.s@gmail.com and I will get $125 credit towards my fundraising goal. And you have the possibility of driving away with a 2011 Lexus or walking away with $30,000 in cash! Buy your ticket today at
http://mdc.lls.llsevent.org/sizzle.golf.

Getting all the new Gear!

Hey everyone!

Good evening -- Its been a crazy busy weekend so I am just now sitting down to give you a quick recap of my first Official Long Slow Day (LSD) of training with my new TNT team.

So this week I was supposed to walk 4 miles, but I am sad to announce that I walked only 3. But I have a good reason... I had to take the speaker system and set up for the graduation for the Early Learning and Development Center. Check out my website for the graduation pictures.

So... how did training itself go? It was good, despite being hot. I was pleased that at some points I was walking at an 18:30 min per mile pace even on the CRAZY hills around Charm City Run in Timonium. But of course, I was bringing up the rear as usual... sigh... But it is early in the season yet :-)

And of course, it was gear clinic day so you know what time it was?! TIME FOR NEW SHOES!! After the graduation I headed back to Charm City Run for some brand new Brooks sneakers! Of course they are green -- so that means I need some new shirts - in green! I also got a new socks and headband. And not shown, a new sports bra that looks more like a torture device but it does lock things down, so to speak -- LOL. I ordered some new shorts, etc online so I will be fully prepared! I did feel a little left behind though cause all the runners had super fancy watches. Mine only is a chronograph.. so perhaps in the weeks ahead I will be going for another gadget?!

For those of you interested in this week's training schedule, I will be doing 2 miles tomorrow and 3 miles on Wednesday and Thursday.. Wanna keep up? That does not include the other cross training stuff I will be doing over the week.

While the training is fun, please don't lose sight of the reason for all the hard work. I am doing this to show my support for the goal of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society -- to find a cure for blood cancers by 2015! You don't have to do the hard work of preparing for the half marathon, but you can show your support by making a donation TODAY! No donation is too small (or too large)! Check out my website to donate: http://pages.teamintraining.org/md/balt11/twatkin6sl.

Its Time for a new Challenge!

Are you guys ready for a new challenge? Join me as I train for the Baltimore 1/2 Marathon in October. As usual, I'm fundraising for TNT so that we continue to raise money for LLS and the goal to cure blood cancers by 2015!

This season I'm using runkeeper to keep track of my walks. I will see if I can figure out how to post some of the information posted. But in the meantime, you can always check my Facebook page. Today for instance I did 1.05 miles at an 18.25 min per mile pace. Thanks a lot Tina for walking with me!

Here's an excerpt of the letter I sent out. I hope it helps you understand why I do this:

In 2010 I decided to push a little harder, I signed up to hike in Yosemite National Park. At that time, my dad, one of my biggest cheerleaders was still here to cheer me on, even as his own strength was failing. He loved hearing about my hikes and even sat with me to pick out the actual hike length and difficulty I would do on June 19^th. I called him when I finished the Panorama Trail, sharing my victory with him. He was happy for me and we made a plan to look at pictures when I came home. But that very day, my dad lost his fight with the cancer that had been a part of his life, our lives, for the past 6 years.

I will admit that my heart was broken and I was ready to make that experience my last one. But I could hear my dad telling me not to quit when we are so close. To remember that the drugs and treatments that the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society helped to bring to all of those suffering from blood cancers were the same that helped him survive for nearly 6 years with lung cancer instead of the months that others had after diagnosis.

My dad raised me to be a lot of things, but a quitter isn’t one of them. So with that in mind, I have decided to charge forth again, this time by participating in the Baltimore Half Marathon. I chose this race, because this was the only one that my dad ever got to see me participate in. He took me to the starting line and waited with me and he met me at the finish line – and even gave me a hug despite how sweaty and smelly I was! J

And you know what? The work is NOT DONE! And we need to get to it. Why do I care you ask? Well because there are more people out there being diagnosed with blood and other cancers and they NEED OUR HELP to find a cure. I want to help families have a happy ending, to be able watch and support their loved ones as doctors work to provide them with a CURE! My dad may have lost his battle, but there are other battles to be won. A friend of mine recently told me her brother was diagnosed with myeloma, a cancer that begins in the bone marrow. I was privileged to be able to tell her about LLS and the services they provide because PEOPLE LIKE YOU made donations to TNT to find a cure. My dad would be proud!

Although I’ve done this race before, I will be working on improving my time. The training will be rigorous, but it is worth it if I can do something to help stem the tide of this disease. I am turning to you all, family, friends, and acquaintances, once again to ask that you consider taking up the fight with me in 2011.

Check out my website to donate: http://pages.teamintraining.org/md/balt11/twatkin6sl

Thanks so much for your contribution to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society!