A great 7!

This week's training plan run was only 7 miles. I cannot believe I've gotten to the point in my running life where 7 is proceeded by *only*. If you look back through this blog you'll see that it was only a few months ago that  I was struggling to run 3 miles. I had a horrible race when I did the 5K  Race for the Cure in NC for my mom. Fast forward through a hot summer, a lot of hard work, a lot of ICE for my aching body and here I am. Running 7 miles at a 9:50 pace. Oh yeah! Lindsey and I could tell our pace was faster but I wasn't focusing on it as much as just enjoying the run. When we heard that last beep of my watch indicating 7 miles I saw our average pace and I was so excited to share it with her! Both of us did not love our solo 10 mile run. So a great quick 7 mile run like today was just what we both needed! It just gets us ready for the big 12 this weekend. After that, it is back down to 6 and then RACE DAY! Yikes!

Here are my splits:
Mile 1: 9:53
Mile 2: 9:52
Mile 3: 9:42
Mile 4 9:58
Mile 5: 9:46
Mile 6: 10:04
Mile 7: 9:37

Overall pace: 9:50

I guess those super fast 1000's I was running at practice on Thursday night paid off!

Think Pink Day at Ridge 10/19/12

As you all know it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and so I decided to show my support for the cause at my school. I thought it would be awesome to do a pink day and honor those who have been affected past or present. We actually have someone on staff going through radiation treatment right now for BC plus a couple others who are BRCA positive. It started as a conversation one day over lunch in the lounge....hmm...what could we do to support "pink"?? After some great ideas I put together a day of activities and publicized it to the staff and students. It kind of took off from there! 

First of all, we all (obviously!) wore pink! The kids participated and I had a contest to encourage their participation. The class that won got to be featured on my school blog. We also decided to do pink themed treats in the lounge. Lots of people signed up and brought in some delicious treats to share! I made signs for each classroom door and small ribbons for the students to wear. I also made a large ribbon that I posted in the lounge and each staff member could write the person that they know or love that was or is affected by BC. The last part of the plan that was the most special was a lap of hope (Thank you Andrea for coming up with that!) around the track after school. I got a big bunch of balloons and we all signed them with messages for our loved ones. The balloons were set free after we did our lap around the track. It symbolized our hope for a cure for those going through BC and for all those that might be affected in the future. It was truly and amazing day and experience. I could not have been happier with the turn out, participation and general feeling of support for pink! We might have to do it every year!

 The whole fam is supporting PINK! Dan too but someone had to take the picture!

 YUM and YUM!

 Crystal's mom is a survivor too!

 Table Signs

 The lounge in pink style!

 Our Ribbon to show support of survivors

 Love this! A third grade did this for PINK day!

 Kimball is battling BC right now! She looks fabulous!

 Our PINK Staff!

 Message to my mom

We set our balloons free and it was a special moment for us all!

The Perfect 10!

Since we had a family wedding to attend this weekend (so much fun and too much to share, that might need to be another post!) I had to get my long run in a day early. So, I took the whole day off a work, yes partially to run, partially to get my nails done with the bride, and set out to run 10 miles. After last week’s flub, I wasn’t that excited. I lost my excitement for this run. I did have an awesome new ipod list to look forward to so that did help a little. I put my new compression socks on, my water belt on, and I hit the pavement in the nice cool 40 something degree weather. Since I was alone, I figured I would play with my pace a little. See if I could run faster than I have been on my training runs. This was a good experiment that proved what I probably could have guessed…I need to take it S L O W at the beginning. My first mile was 9:35 and it was all downhill (or uphill actually) from there. I over-did it on that first mile and then I was trying to play catch up for 9 more miles. The last two miles hurt. I aim for negative splits each long run, which is when you gain speed throughout the run. I had the opposite happen this time though I did eek out a sub 10 minute mile for mile 10, barely.

My overall pace wasn’t horrible, it was 10:11 for 10 miles but there was a lot of fluctuation this week when I would glance down at my garmin watch and I saw some upper 10’s and not a lot of 9’s. Ahh, lesson learned. I need to start slow at the race and build up to the last 3 miles when I can push myself a bit. Even though it wasn’t my finest performance it was still a perfect 10 because I ran 10 miles the same day that the scale said 10 lbs lost. So, it was a TEN kind of day!! I am officially at my pre-Sean and Carter weight, wearing my old skinny clothes, people are noticing a difference and I am happy. I still have a few more to go before I’ll be at my goal weight, but I am so close!  Yay for a perfect 10 kind of day! It was followed by an amazing weekend of lots of fun, laughing, time with family, and dancing! I even made it all night on the dance floor without being too tired from my 10 miles. A success!

Wow.

As you all saw I posted publically about my situation as a BRCA 2 carrier and also my plans to take preventative measures. It made me nervous being so personal and sharing things with a mass amount of people. Of course I've shared it on here for almost a year but many of my readers are random people that I do not know. I knew that many of my friends who already knew were supportive but I had no idea that so many people would be so sweet and supportive. I received a lot of comments, publically, on my post but I also received a lot of private comments. Comments from people saying that I was an "inspiration" which I absolutely do not agree with, but it was nice to hear! I received messaged from people who I hadn't even talked to in years since college, high school friends, family members that did not know, parents of my friends. I loved reading every single message because it just re-affirmed how strongly I feel about my decision. I've read horror stories about women saying that people questioned their choices to do the PBM but I know that would never happen to me. 100% of the people that I have told have been nothing but wonderful and the vast majority said, "I would do the exact same thing". Several said I was being so brave and all but I just feel like I don't have a choice. This is my life. I want to protect it and cherish my time....so I'll do whatever I can be to be healthy and cancer free. Being an inspriation to others is of no concern to me. I know I need to be strong and I know I need to do this. So, I will forge on.

Weight update: I've lost 9lbs and I am starting to look different in a good way! Old clothes are fitting and I am loving it!

Running update: This weekends 10 mile run was an epic fail. One time bc my GPS died 1 minute into my run and my shins were on fire. So, I decided to go on Sunday. Nope that didn't work either because after 3 miles in the pouring rain, being drenched to the bone, and freezing, I gave up and came home. I will run my 10 miles this week which is what the plan says so I am not off track, but I did feel the need to adjust. I am the kind of person who sticks to a plan and so it was tough today to get back in my car (to a dry shirt!) but I need to be flexible and learn that not everything always goes according to plan.

Ready to be on the "other side"

If you are a BRCA carrier like me, I am sure you are familiar with the FORCE message board. Being on the “other side” is what we refer to after you have finished the PBM (prophylactic bilateral mastectomy). I am so ready to be there. I’ve started the preparations, completed my FMLA paperwork, found a counselor sub, and arranged for help around the house in the weeks following my surgery. I’ve started the journey to the “other side”. I’ve read over and over from many women who claimed that the hardest part was this. . . the waiting, planning and preparations. I’d have to agree. Waiting is the hardest. But, thankfully I have my ½ marathon training and weight loss plan to distract me. I feel so strong when I am running and I am so happy to see how well my weight loss attempt has gone for me. I know that on surgery day I am going to look at myself in the mirror (for the last time before I am changed forever) and be happy with what I see. I will know that my body is physically strong, my running ability is at its peak, and I am at my ideal weight. I will be happy about who I am and the choices that I have made. I will be ready…..ready to go to the “other side”. When I am there, I am sure it’ll be hard but I know I won’t regret the decisions I’ve made along the way.

1/2 Marathon Training Update. 9 miles=check!

As I navigate my way through the rest of my training each week will be a first for me. First time to run 9 miles, first time to run 10, and so on. I am so happy about my training right now. I no longer have any doubts about my ability to run 13.1 miles. This week’s 9 mile run was amazing. It shows what a different 10-15 degrees can make for my running pace. A little cooler weather along with less painful shins and I was set. Here are my splits.

Overall pace: 10:05

1: 10:22

2: 10:12

3: 10:19

4: 10:07

5: 10:19

6: 9:53

7: 9:59

8:10:09

9: 9:32

As you can see my friend and I picked up our pace towards the end of our run. This gives me hope that I can pick up the pace a little more. I am being conservative on my long runs and I won’t need to be that conservative on race day. I literally enjoyed every minute of that 9 mile run and that in itself made my day! Next stop: 10 miles!  

Linking the two worlds.

I have two wonderful blogs (well actually 3 if you count my school blog). One is for my family. I started it back in 2010 and somehow have managed to keep it updated with the daily goings on of the Rettig Family. This blog was started just this year as an outlet for me as I as I navigate life as a BRCA carrier. The two blogs have never been linked because I felt this blog was too personal to share with the mass amount of people on FB and co-workers. But, the time has come to be honest with my friends and put it out there. I am going to need everyone's support in two very short months from now. How can they help me and support me if they do not know? The time has come to put it out there and what better time to share it than during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Here is my post that will be posted tonight in preparation for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Happy October everyone. I've never been through an October where pink had such great meaning to me personally. PS. Thanks for reading :o)

Life with the Rettigs