Last Long Run!

Quick note here before I need to hit the hay and get up early for my final run.

Well I made it through to the last official week of marathon training! Can you believe it? It is almost hard to believe myself and most especially hard to believe I had a major brain surgery just over 4 months ago. Wow!

So I hope to fill you in on more details of training as the week progresses but for now just wanted to shoot you an update that I have managed and survived to this point.

How my week went....
On Monday last week I started out with my usual short run that finally dropped down to 3 miles after running several weeks with 5 miles as my shortest run. What a nice treat. Then on Tuesday my second longest run for the week finally dropped to 6 miles from 8. :D Wednesday I made the smart more to forego the weekly power hike - the group did a very long 9 or 11 mile option with over 2000 feet of elevation gain.

Still, my heart ached for a nice hike on quickly dwindling sunny fall days good for hiking. So friday I opted for a 4 mile hike with just over 1000 feet of elevation gain to substitute for my second 3 mile run of the week. The dogs and I savored fresh air and majestic peaks of the mountain range on one of our favorite local treks close to home. I hope you will enjoy the photos and get a sample taste of why I love the NW so much.

Although the shorter days and drizzly cloudy weather is pushing my body into its own little mini hybernation schedule, I did eventually get myself out of the house for that last 8 mile run late Saturday afternoon. Interestingly even with the drastically lower running and hiking mileage, my body still feels sore and sluggish. Yet, I have still managed to maintain a 10 minute per mile pace throughout the entire run while feeling less energetic and slow. The nice thing about learning to run such high mileage is that an 8 miler can become of ease like a 5 or 6 and you can sustain performance better.

Okey doke! Time for bed. More tomorrow night! :D Sleep tight!

Rattlesnake Lake before we started up

Who you looking at?

Time to go!....Here we come mommy!

We're going up there!

The "Rock" - actually there are many of these and even some bigger!

Dreamy Enchanting Forest

On our way UP! This is the first peak of the lake from the trail.

The "BIG" local mountain I like to climb - Mt Si, 8 miles and about 3700 to 3800 feet elevation gain; I have not done this one this year yet!

Katie

Jake

With my "kids" - Jake is too busy licking my neck to be concerned with having his photo taken.

From the summit:
overlooking the Mt Si and the North Bend valley

Lake Kachess and east further into the Cascade Pass

SE of the summit

Rattlesnake Lake as seen from the top

Hike finale

Family - September 10, 2010 Apple Valley, MN

Wedding of 1st cousin Courtnie De Grand to Mike Higgins

Auntie Barb (dad's sister) looking on as the wedding party walk down the isle

1st cousin Amelia (Barb's daughter - the tiny girl behind the minister) ready to fulfill her duty as the flower girl

1st cousin Nate, Amelia's brother, peaking out from behind the bench in the front row

The groom, the bride's brother cousin Brice (far left with aviator sunglasses), and wedding party look upon with wonder as the bride approaches

bride Countnie escorted by my aunt and uncle (dad's brother) Al and Sharilyin De Grand

3 generations - 2nd cousin Elaine, aunt Diane, Uncle Wayne De Grand (dad's brother), 1st cousin Noel De Grand, 1st cousin Jennifer De Grand (the mommy), 2nd cousin Miles, Andy (the daddy)

Uncle Jason, cousin Amelia, and Aunt Barb watch intently as the couple profess their vows

Mike utters promises of love to Courtnie the gushing bride

Mom and Dad gaze on in the joy of nostalgia

The Kiss

Introduction of the newly married happy couple

The Send Off

The best flavor cheesecake at our table - My kind of wedding! ;-)

Flowers fromt the heart! :)

Our traveling clan - mom, Harley, me, Michelle, and dad

Doing DC

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Thursday night before the storm

Our nation's capital on a very lovely friday evening

Dad and I in front of the White House early on Saturday - We got drenched!!!

The Washington Monument as seen from the front of the White House

Saturday night as the hurricane touched down - It became really misty and you could not longer see the Pontomac River in either direction

Same view Monday morning

Well I guess it is about high time I give you an update! I have been busy traveling, running, and hiking.

About a week ago dad and I traveled to Washington DC for my 5th checkup at the National Institutes of Health. Like a good little trainee, I brought my running shoes with me so I could do a 5 mile run the Wednesday evening we arrived our hotel in Bethesda, Maryland. To my great luck and unplanned, there happened to be a running trail just a few blocks from the hotel.

Wow! hehe TONS of elite runners! Good thing they were going the opposite direction. I think maybe they were running clubs or teams from the University and nearby schools.

It felt great to get off the plane and subway to get out for a good run after sitting so long which is kind of difficult for me. I do not prefer hot weather but fortunately at the time I went out the sun was mostly going down and it had cooled to a tolerable temperature. Boy am I glad my sister bought that matching running skirt and bra for Christmas that I did not think I would be brave enough to wear in public! I could care less what this nearly 40 year old body looks like in the heat if it means being comfortable. And THAT I have done alot of lately! Comfort outweighs looks. ;-)

So the plan was to take 3 days off of running for travel (one day for medical appointments and 2 for sight seeing and flying back home. My 16 mile run I would do the day after our return which be a Sunday (only 1 day later than my regular running schedule). Seemed like a good plan until I got a message on my text phone from Harley after 9 pm on a Thursday night that our flight was cancelled. Apparently the hurricane that was beat down North Carolina was estimated to arrive Washington DC Saturday evening when we were scheduled to fly. All flights were shut down and the soonest flight available was only Monday night. There goes my running plan.

Sunday morning we tried to get on any of the flights going out but they were all full. As it turned out, we only recieved a tropical storm in DC with lots of rain but nothing as devestating as the media made it out to be. The next 2 days were gorgeous! However, by the time it was determined we could not get on any flights sunday, it was approaching the hottest hour of the day which does not make a good recipe for a run for this cool west coast runner.

That left me Monday morning before we flew out. If I didn't get out Monday, there was no chance of doing the long run for the week in my training schedule. As it was, I would already be jumping 2 days later into the following week. Thus, I scramed together and improvised some provisions to try to get me prepped for a long run in hot weather. All there was near our hotel was a Rite-Aide in the underground mall - no FRS drink, GU energy gel, hydration belt, or english muffin with peanut butter and banana.

Hunting around the store I at least found some gatorade, 1 liter of bottled water to carry (gratefully that a lady walker recommended to me when I was scoping out the length of the nearby trail), a marathon bar, and some tiny bottle of 6 hour energy shot. Thank God I brought my running attire and body glide along!

Ironically however, the trail just outside our hotel was the exact same trail I had always seen on the shuttle ride from the airport to the NIH. The trail followed the road and Pontomac river through beautiful scenery and past views of the captital, WA monument, Jefferson Memorial, and some other scuplture. I always marveled and fantasized at how great it would be to walk or run along the trail. But alas, I never stayed in DC up to this point where it would be a possibility. I had NO IDEA prior to arriving that this same trail would be just a couple blocks from where we would be staying.

Rising early and stretching in time to get out on the trail before it became too hot, I downed a last granola bar I had brought with me and found a fruit and nut bar in my dad's bag to try to get me some breakfast energy. I also had some pizza pretzel combos I tried quickly snorting down yet I could not eat too many as they were hard to swallow. Since I had no belt to carry the energy shot or water, I had to gulp down the shot before the run. The 1 liter bottle I had to carry in my hands continually switching off every few minutes until my wrist grew tired.

Although I did not have the "ideal" things, I think I threw together a pretty good mix so unexpectedly. The weather was hotter than I am used to but boy was that a cool run! I probably got through as long of a run as I had because I was so stoked going on an exploration I love sauntering along new paths and seeing new places. With little time left, I got to search around more places in DC than I have ever had the time or opportunity to!

Our hotel was near the airport in Crystal Springs. The trail followed the Pontomac River from the city past the airport and towards DC. I passed all the monuments and crossed a bridge in the into the old town part of DC descending down to a trail along a dried up canal. After running along the canal for awhile the trail came back up to a cobblestone and brick walkways leading me back past the lovely historic buildings.

When I crossed back over the bridge again heading back the way I had come, I veered off onto some island. There the terrain changed from urban running to off road. I went from crushed gravel and compact ground to boardwalk and then to a hiking trail sort of path until ran the entire island.

After the island I veered off another side trail leading me to Jefferson Island through a nice pine tree park and past a little boat marina where many of the boats were still on their trailers in the parking lot. From there I headed into the heart of the Federal Triangle past the Jefferson memorial and a block in front of the Washington Memorial.

In front of the Washington Monument is one of the only public restrooms so that was a good place for me to stop off and drink the rest of my water my hands were cramping from carrying. With 20 minutes left and the temperature rising, I was a little light headed and dizzy. So I rested for a minute more and guzzled some more water from the fountain before headig back to complete the 3 hour excursion

With Healing, New Paths Can Be Forged

This post is dedicated to my fellow NF2 friend and runner Olivia who is struggling with some of the same feelings and issues I encountered after radiosurgery in 2004. Don't give up and don't give in!

For those who have been with me over the long haul, you know most of the story that brought me to this chapter of my life. For those who don't, let me brief you on how I arrived at training to run a full marathon - something I could have never seen myself doing 7 years ago.

Question??

Was I always a runner?

Well, not exactly. I guess it depends on how you define what it means to be a runner. While I did run on the cross country team and long distance events for track my senior year in high school, my running after that point consisted of occassional running over the years to try to stay in shape. (And by that I mean a weak attempt as I grew older to try canceling out that freshman 15+ that tacked on to me and seemed to ride along for the next 15 years!). Beyond some of my undergrad college years, running became maybe an annual 5k event. I have no idea if I ever ran 10K distance up until 2009 when my fellow cancer survivor buddy and team in training teammate told me when he was in the hospital that he believed I could do it. So I did!

But let's back track to summer 2004 after I finished graduate school. I recieved the news in the spring that one of the tumors in my head got really damn big fast. Fearful that I would not live through a brain surgery or even worse....become physically and maybe even mentally screwed up, I opted to take an avenue that I expected to be a kinder and easier approach. WRONG! It is a long story but let's just say I got sick for a long time which included loss and impairment of many of my "normal" ways of functioning. I was pretty devastated and spent a long time being lost and walking around like a zombie. I felt like my soul was dead and I was just a shell of a person walking. My soul ached when I could not be hiking in the mountains anymore, could no longer have the stability to scuba dive, and roller blading was just plain over.

In my sadness I walked myself into recovery. Thankfully I had my dogs to get me through my heartache. In addition to adding joy to my life, our walks gave me a good excuse to spend an IMMENSE amount of quality time with them and feel I was still serving a purpose.

Anyhow, in the photos are my new shoes which are actually only my 2nd pair of marathon running shoes! I have worn the same pair through 4 half marathons since I started running them in 2009. For me, making a major purchase takes me a long time. I am too indecisive and worried if it will be the right choice. Happily, these shoes have gotten me comfortably at least 48 miles so far!

I snapped these photos in the Carnation agricultural valley where I started walking the dogs back in spring 2003 when we moved out to the country. Later I found the 32 mile railroad grade trail about a mile or 2 down the road which I eventually came to walk in an entire day following this whole rift in my life. It is also the place where I began to make a transition back to running.

As I mentioned, during my first recovery I spent much of my time walking my dogs daily. At one point I even had to walk with a walking stick! While I was out there taking time to rediscover myself, within a couple years I was inspired to become "inspirational". Hence began my shift into becoming a charity athlete. After losing my balance function, my very first running event was 3 miles around a high school track in a "Relay for Life" event for cancer May of 2006. After completing the last lap around the track I totally collapsed and could not stand up! I kept pulling myself up on a lawn chair and would continually come crashing down. The paramedics rushed over but fortunately with some hydration, after 10-15 minutes on the ground I was able to rise to my feet.

To train myself to even be able to run 3 miles, I had to run with my walking stick. Within 10-15 minutes of a run when I started back into running, I would become greatly disoriented with my legs quivering like jello and my eyesight flying all over the place. I would imagine the inability to properly walk after finishing would be comparable to what a person with cerebral palsy experiences. At least that is how I felt stumbling around deperately trying to walk straight during a cool down.

Many people without any real serious medical conditions or limitations remark to me how it is amazing I can run so far but comment how they could not possibly run beyond a 5k. You have NO IDEA what you are capable of! Yet neither did I once.

Running is not my favorite thing to do either. I do it because it has been a gift and a talent granted to me - a tool with which I can help others. Granted I am nowhere NEAR great runners but I CAN do it. I may be slow but hey! At least I am out there giving it my best shot and doing it for a greater purpose. When it hurts, I think of my fellow patients who are in wheelchairs or missing legs. I bet they would be damn estatic to have this ability! I know that must be how they feel as just going through losing my balance gave me a deep sorrowful longing to have uninhibited ability to do even lunges at the gym and all these fantastic things which were once so simple.

So why waste it?

Speaking of that, I need to get out here and shoot for that 16 mile run now that I have had 24 hours for my body to rest following 3 days of mountain hiking.

Life is grand! Look for it Olivia! Love ya! :)

Please help encourage my path by supporting my run! http://www.active.com/donate/nfportland2011/RDufek2

10 years of unconditional love

I suppose the pictures are self explanatory but if not, we were overjoyed to celebrate the 10th birthday of our dogs this weekend (they are brother and sister).

While you might find it comical or ridiculous that we went all out to have our own little "dog" birthday party in our little family, well that is just it......They ARE our family and our kids. As a matter of fact as I am sure all the parents and moms out there think of their grown children as their babies still, I am no different. hehe On ocassion I will shout out "puppies" and they come running!

Let me tell you the full story though. 6 years after gratefully experiencing cancer remission I was diagnosed with brain tumors. It started out as hearing loss and sadly the slow decline of hearing was not the only problem. My brain is LOADED! There are so many tumors that it has actually been quoted in some MRI reports "too numerous to count".

So that is a pretty heavy issue. On top of that, the disorder which causes my brain tumors is genetic. Not only is my health a consideration but also the health and future of an unborn child. So the consensus was not to become birth parents. Yet that had not sunk in my mind in the beginning.

Within the first couple years my hearing declined rather rapidly as far as hearing loss goes. I was warned that it was a very high if not most certain probability that I would become deaf (entirely with no sound). For most of my life I have been pretty social and talkative.

Harley wondered how this aspect of my personality would be affected. He was saddened that I may find life very lonely (and yes it does take quite a bit of an adjustment). So when my 30th birthday rolled around, he brought these babes into my life that brought me lots of joy as well as motivation for recoveries.

When you are a patient, a pet can give you so much love and fill a big gapping hole which has puntured your heart. When I got them and told my elderly neighbor stricken with cancer for the third time, he chuckled and said "Oh boy! That's just what you need!" I was not quite sure I completely understood the meaning of his words but now I do. He spent his final months sitting happily in the sun stroking his furry feline friend sitting on his lap with a big grin. That is pure joy...to be given unconditional attention and love no matter your disposition, your health, or even your presentation.

As the years went by and I lost all my hearing, went through many falls while losing my balance function and screamed my head off, many tears and fits of rage, days when I either could not get up from the daybed or go outside, days of puking my guts out and more crying, the frustrations of enduring recoveries through 1 radiosurgery and 3 brain surgeries, my babies have always been there to heal my heart. When I have been hurt either physically or emotionally, immediately they have come to the rescue licking my tears away until they turns into outburts of laughter.

So with this 10 year celebration, we say THANK YOU for giving me life and bringing us such incredible joy to overcome the heartbreaks this disorder has tested my family and I with.

Not Missing a Beat!

Ollalie Lake

Photos by Team Survivor NW member Diane Bowlin

Alpine Tiger Lily

Hike Leader Elaine, Sarah and Me at one of the many stream crossings

I REALLY love hiking and do everything in my power to not miss anymore of my weekly hiking escapades with my cancer survivor friends. HEHE I make a point to try to schedule my medical appointments on days of the week which do not conflict with our Wednesday hike time. So I request appointments either at the end of the week or beginning so I am either back in time for a hike or leave the next day. For this last trip I made darn sure I went on the hike Wednesday, left on the train for Portland Thursday morning, and then took the train back to Seattle Tuesday afternoon following my morning appointment so I could be back on the trail again the next morning! :D

The exception is that I could not coordinate my NIH visit around my group hike day. They have me leaving early Wednesday morning August 24th for travel all day and then appointments on the 25th. :( grumble.....So I will miss at least one more group hike this season. Hopefully it will not be at too cool of a trail or at least something closeby that I can make up on my own time. (I do not drive too far anymore.)

I also have to figure this in to my marathon training schedule while ALSO doing strength training and working with a trainer once a week. I run 4 days a week with increasing mileage per week and as the week unfolds. So far I am keeping up but I drastically had to cut back on my strength training either cutting down the amount of days I go or greatly decreasing the amount of weight I lift or both. That is ok because what is important right now is that I have the energy and stamina to take on longer and longer runs. I had a difficult time last week with training immediately after a 4 mile run. My nutrition was off so I was so tired and felt weak having difficulty focusing during my session with Merrie.

This week so far I am only hiking one day because I am catching up on all the work I slacked off on during "playtime". Tomorrow I plan to be back out there again.

I forgot my camera in someone's car but cancer pal Diane Bowlin was nice to share a few photos with me of our Pratt Lake Basin hike last week.