4 DAYS UNTIL THE FALL 50! WHOOHOOO!

Holy bananas…we are getting CLOSE!

THE NAMES! THE NAMES!

They just keep coming in, and I absolutely LOVE IT!

If you’re reading this and have someone you’d like me to carry with me for those 50.7 miles, PLEASE don’t hesitate to send me their name! Whether they’re fighting cancer, a survivor, or someone we remember with love, I would be honored to add them to my race bib.

Yesterday started bright and early at the Y with TRX • Strength Training • TRX, followed by an easy 3½-mile walk.

The good news? My coughing wasn’t nearly as bad! Of course, it wasn’t too cold outside either, which definitely helped. I’m also getting more comfortable using my inhaler, so that’s another positive!

Now it’s all about those final preparations!

Getting my nutrition organized, studying where all the aid stations are, laying out my clothes, finishing my packing list, and of course…

SHOES! SHOES! SHOES!

Which pair am I wearing? How many pairs am I bringing? Because apparently, one pair of running shoes is NEVER enough!

It’s hard to believe that 19 weeks of this journey have brought me to these final few days.

I’m feeling grateful, excited, and ready to enjoy every moment while continuing to take care of my body.

And here’s a little reminder for anyone chasing a goal of their own:

“Keep believing in yourself, celebrate how far you’ve come, and remember that your determination may be the very thing that inspires someone else to chase a dream they once thought was impossible!”

4 DAYS. 50.7 MILES. HUNDREDS OF NAMES. ONE INCREDIBLE PURPOSE.

“Here we are…RACE WEEK!”

5 DAYS UNTIL THE FALL 50!

Started my morning out with COFFEE (yes, I know a Christmas cup) and off to the @La Crosse Area Family Y with Pilates and Cardio Essentials, getting in some movement with my amazing members!

I’m finishing up my medication, and thankfully, the coughing wasn’t nearly as bad today!

Today’s training was a nice, easy 3-mile walk, followed by a little mobility work. Nothing crazy—just keeping the body moving and continuing to recover.

Now it’s all about those final race preparations! Packing, organizing gear, planning nutrition, and finishing up all those special names I’ll be carrying for 50.7 miles.

It’s truly incredible how quickly time goes by. It feels like yesterday I was starting Week 1, wondering what these 19 weeks would bring.

This journey has been filled with early mornings, long runs, unexpected challenges, lessons learned, and so many incredible people along the way.

Now I’m focusing on getting healthy, staying positive, and appreciating every moment of this final week.

The countdown is ON!

Project 9:30…let’s see what this final week brings!

ONE WEEK! Holy bananas…how did we get here so FAST?

Watching the back yard ultra, while on my tready....... Whooohooo

The Fall 50 in beautiful Door County, Wisconsin. 50.7 miles and a whole lot of purpose!

The good news? I’m finally starting to feel better! The medication seems to be helping, and I’m learning how to use this new inhaler.

With my lungs still recovering, I decided to keep things indoors on the treadmill rather than head out into the cold air.

Let me tell you…SLOW was the name of the game!

Nothing fast, nothing fancy. Just seeing how my body was feeling and keeping everything easy. Since I’ve had a little extra downtime this week, guess what happened?

I ACCIDENTALLY BOUGHT MORE RUNNING SHOES!

Found a pair I’ve run in before, just a half-size bigger. Then somehow, I accidentally wandered into Dick’s Sporting Goods and found ANOTHER pair!

I mean…what’s a girl supposed to do?!

So I gave the shoes a little try on the treadmill. They felt good, and while the pace was slower than I’m used to, that’s perfectly okay. Right now, I’m not chasing speed. I’m focusing on getting healthy. As much as I love running, something even more meaningful has been happening behind the scenes.

THE NAMES.

Oh my goodness, the messages, texts, phone calls, and stories I’ve received from people asking me to carry the names of their loved ones.

I cannot even begin to tell you how much that means to me.

Moms. Dads. Grandparents. Sisters. Brothers. Aunts. Uncles. Cousins. Friends.

People fighting cancer. People who have survived. And people whose memories will forever live in the hearts of those who love them.

I am incredibly blessed that you’ve trusted me to carry their names.

What started as running miles for my daughter-in-law Jennah has become something I never could have imagined.

Every name I add makes this journey even more special.

Now it’s time to finish organizing those names, get my race gear together, figure out what I’m packing, and prepare for a week that’s going to FLY by!

And through it all, I’m keeping one thing in mind…

A positive mindset doesn’t mean everything goes perfectly. It means finding something to be grateful for, even when the journey takes an unexpected turn.

The goal is still there. The excitement is still there. And the purpose is bigger than ever.

7 DAYS. 50.7 MILES. HUNDREDS OF NAMES. ONE GRATEFUL HEART.

#cancersucks #cancernames #Fall50 #7DaysToGo #IronSunshine La Crosse Area Family Y family - Fall 50

 

8 DAYS UNTIL THE BIG PARTY!

 

The Fall 50…50.7 beautiful miles through Door County, Wisconsin!

Holy bananas…we’re getting CLOSE!

Started my morning at the Y with Pilates followed by Cardio Essentials. Then I decided to try something a little different…

THE STEAM ROOM!

Thought maybe a little steam would help loosen up this chest congestion.

And “HOLY SCHINKES”…was that thing HOT!

Fifteen minutes was ALL I could handle! Came out soaking wet and ready to cool down.

After cleaning up and taking it easy, I headed out later for a little walk. Just some gentle time on my legs while continuing to let my body recover.

The good news? I’m feeling pretty good!

I’m still paying attention to this cough and how my lungs are feeling. I’m hoping to get back on the treadmill soon, once it’s safe, to see how my body responds.

In the meantime, I’m getting my Fall 50 checklist organized, preparing to pack, and spending some time studying and visualizing the course.

The mental preparation is just as important right now.

I can picture those beautiful Door County roads, the miles ahead, and all those special names I’ll be carrying with me.

And I’m reminding myself…

A positive mindset doesn’t mean ignoring the challenges. It means believing you can work through them while making smart decisions along the way.

Eight days away.

The excitement is REAL. The gratitude is REAL. And the purpose behind these miles means more than ever.

Rest. Recover. Visualize. Believe.

Project 9:30…one day at a time!

#Project930 #Week18 #Fall50 #8DaysToGo #IronSunshine La Crosse Area Family YMCA Destination Door County

9 DAYS UNTIL THE BIG DANCE! 🏃‍♀️🎗️

The Fall 50 in beautiful Door County, Wisconsin! And technically, we’re talking 50.7 MILES!

Well…today was the day to figure out what in the world has been going on with this body of mine!

Started the morning at the Y teaching TRX • Cycling • TRX, taking it VERY easy. Lots of coaching, demonstrating, and letting my members do the hard work today!

Then it was off to the doctor.

Because seriously…CHEST, WHAT IS GOING ON?!

And we finally have an answer. My doctor suspects walking pneumonia.

So now we’re treating it with medication, an inhaler, and a plan to give my body the rest it needs.

I’ll admit, I’m not someone who loves taking medication, so seeing everything I was prescribed was a little overwhelming. But right now, getting healthy is what matters.

No running for now. Let the medication do its job. Let the body HEAL.

And I’m incredibly grateful we caught this before race weekend rather than during it.

But here’s where my heart really is today.

This race means SO much more to me than 50.7 miles or a 9:30 finish time.

As a two-time cancer survivor myself, I know what it means to face challenges you never expected. And being able to run these miles in honor of those fighting cancer, celebrating those who have survived, and in loving memory of those we’ve lost is something I can’t even put into words.

Last year, one of the most incredible parts of the Fall 50 was hearing other athletes read the names on my jersey as they ran past me.

The encouragement. The conversations. The connections.

Those weren’t just names on a jersey. They were PEOPLE. They were STORIES. They were LOVED.

And every time someone acknowledged a name, it reminded me why I was out there.

Some people may wonder why I do this. Others understand exactly what those names mean.

But for me, it’s simple.

If carrying someone’s name for 50 miles brings one family comfort, gives one person hope, or reminds someone that their loved one hasn’t been forgotten, then every step has a purpose.

I feel incredibly blessed to have so many people trusting me to carry those names.

And right now, I’m going to do everything I can to give my body the best opportunity to recover.

9 days. 50.7 miles. Hundreds of names. One very grateful heart.

Project 9:30 isn’t just about what my legs can do.

It’s about what my heart gets to carry.

#Project930 #cancersucks #Fall50 #RunningForCancer #MilesForJennah