Yes I am ALIVE and Kicking...

A month is too long to try to catch up on everything in great detail - so you'll have to be satisfied with some HIGHLIGHTS of the last 4 weeks. Needless to say I have been busy LIVING LIFE! So the blog fell to the wayside. Let me reassure you all that everything is GREAT and there is a big SHIFT on the horizon for me...more on that later...

So here are the highlights:

May 25th - Memorial Day Weekend - Wilderness Road Ride - 36 miles

Jim and I went out to southwest Virginia's beautiful New River Valley to ride our bikes. It was my first ride with the new compact crank system on my bike - Note to Self: make sure you are familiar with your gearing BEFORE you tackle climbing hills again! It was a much slower pace than I was hoping for but the weather was perfect and so was the company! What more could a girl ask for? Okay, maybe some more speed on the bike but that will return, in time.

June 1st - Capital Crescent 5K - Bethesda, MD with Team CANCER to 5K

Holly's 5K Race Time: 38:26

The first of two races for our CANCER to 5K program runners was a big success! The course was moderately flat and shaded and well attended. We had a total of 11 folks from the group show up to run/cheer and support Denny and Thomas on their first 5K races! The smiles as the guys finished say it all!

Denny finishing strong!

Thomas smiles as he nears the finish

June 8th - Survivor Harbor 7 - Baltimore, MD with Team CANCER to 5K

Holly's 5K Race Time: 37:28

The second of two races for our CANCER to 5K program runners was also a big success in spite of the major heat wave and index temperature of 110F. We had a group of 20 runners along with plenty of family and friends represented at the finish line. Jessica T., Helen S. and Beth S. had fantastic races and our very own CT5K runner turned volunteer, Ben F., actually took 2nd place Overall in the Open Men Survivor category and took home a trophy for his hard days run!

It was a fantastic way to wrap up the SPRING 2008 CANCER to 5K program.  

WAY TO GO TEAM CANCER TO 5K!

Jess T. looking great after 7 miles - the finish is close!

Beth S. and her CT5K crew nearing the finish of 5K

Big smiles for Beth S. at the finish line!

Helen S. looking happy and strong at the end of 5K!

Ben F. moving his way through the last water stop,

on his way to 2nd Male Survivor Overall!

Most of Team CANCER to 5K at the finish of Survivor Harbor 7

It was also a fantastic weekend because joining me for the entire weekends adventures were my sisters Heather and Cathy (who was too camera-shy...) and my darling nephew Rowen who definitely stole all the attention away from everybody in his little custom CT5K T-shirt! Mixed in between several drives to Baltimore that weekend was a wonderful trip to the Zoo with Rowen, Heather and Cathy. 

Oh and for those of you who don't already know, my newest NEPHEW  "Baby Kain" was also there - Of course, he is still hanging out "in utero" for now but come October, we expect him to present himself formally!

Heather, Baby Kain (in utero) and Rowen
go for a walk around the finish line expo!

June 9-20th - Two week hiatus for Holly

From the time the Survivor Harbor 7 race ended on Sunday afternoon until the time that Jim came home from two weeks of travel, I was on my own with only Wallace and Grommette (our Bengal cats) to take care of. I didn't do much of anything outside of work and a few easy runs and that was A-OK! I needed some quality "ME" time. As it is, the week of the 9-13 was Graduation time at the University so work was very busy. I feel no guilt for staying "incognito" for two weeks. I did take some time out from my break to cheer on one of my favorite CT5K volunteers - Arnetta D., as she did her FIRST TRIATHLON! She raced the Manassas Mini TRI on Sunday, June 15th and did an EXCELLENT JOB! Yet another runner converted into a crazy Triathlon Geek!! 

June 21st - Run for the Rainforest 5K

Holly's 5K Race Time: 37:02

This past Saturday, after 2 failed attempts due to extreme thunder and lightening storms, I ran the Run for the Rainforest 5K. The goal of this 5K was simply to run each mile "IN HONOR" of the two CT5K runners from our Spring program who were unable to complete the program due to injuries (not training related) they sustained. So Mile 1 was for Jess D., Mile 2 was for Cindy C. and Mile 3 was run "IN HONOR" of my close friend and CCC teammate Cindy H., who is currently undergoing a second round of Chemotherapy for a Breast Cancer reoccurrence. I was joined on the run by Jessica T. and her friend Charron and Ben F. and Arnetta D and Jess and Charron's guys met us at the finish line with lots of cowbells ringing! It was a great run and a good chance to get out and run for friends who can't right now.

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So I would say that brings you to the PRESENT. I may post more pictures later on but I may not...I'm not going to make promises that I can't keep. I will say that as my life is shifting into a new, better NORMAL, my BLOG focus is shifting as well. There are some big things on the horizon and as they come to fruition, I will share them with you but for now, consider yourselves officially UP-TO-DATE in my life for the past month!

Life is GOOD! Live STRONG!

Two Weeks and Counting

The SPRING 2008 CANCER to 5K team is two weeks out from race day!

It was perfect timing then, that the interview I did last fall was published this April 2008 in the American Journal of Clinical Oncology:

The Healing Power of Physical Activity?

As the article mentions, the CANCER to 5K team will be racing the 3 mile option of the Survivor Harbor 7 race in Baltimore, MD on Sunday, June 8th.

The race is still open...you can register HERE!

What are you waiting for? Life is GOOD! Live STRONG!

Write2Fight...

Some Bloggers like Bolder in Boulder are doing an amazing thing and I took time to share my story...I know your out there, lurking...Time to share your stories too!

Kim from Iowa....Heather...Carver...Mellisa...(you need a BLOG girlfriend!) Miss Melanoma...MPIP Bulletin Board Crew...

This one is for all of you!



LiveSTRONG!

Make a difference today!

Some local Metro DC LiveSTRONG Events...

	Margaret	Townsend	Yogis fighting against cancer	Alexandria	VA	05/13/2008
	Paula	Potts	Arlington Free Clinic Celebrates LiveStrong Day 2008	Arlington	VA	05/13/2008
	Eric	Swenson	University of Chicago Livestrong Bake Sale and Fundraiser	Chicago	IL	05/17/2008
	Jillian	Bernstein	Cookies Fight Cancer	Rockville	MD	05/13/2008
	Bernadette	Dailey	Children's LiveSTRONG Day	Washington	DC	05/20/2008
	Nicole	Bender	LIVESTRONG Day DC Capitol Hill Happy Hour at Union Pub	Washington	DC	05/13/2008
	Russ	Dudley	Spinning on the Mall!	Washington	DC	05/13/2008
	Liz	Skree	YACS-DC LIVESTRONG Day Happy Hour	Washington	DC	05/13/2008
	Zoya	Naskova	Livestrong with FlexAware: Fitness, Music and Celebration	Washington, DC	DC	05/13/2008

Drugs are Bad....M'Kaaaaaayyy

Grommette has no self-control when it comes to her addictions....

No foot is safe from Grommette when she is high on Nip....

Don't let this happen to you cats...Talk to them about the dangers of drugs!

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

May Is Melanoma Awareness Month....

Today let's talk about PREVENTION. Here are 4 things that you can do STARTING RIGHT NOW to prevent you and your family from Skin Cancer in the future....

• Use sunscreens rated 15 or higher DAILY

- Doesn't matter if you are going to the beach, school or work. If you are going to be outside for more than 15 minutes put on that sunscreen! Many moisturizers now come with UVF/UVB protection already in them - so take a few minutes and lather up!

• Avoid unnecessary sun exposure

- This doesn't mean avoid the sun altogether but when you are outside and there is the option to stand in the Shade, take it. If you have a hat...wear it, if you have sunglasses...put them on. Be SMART not PARANOID.

• Teach your children good sun protection habits at an early age. The damage that leads to adult skin cancers starts in childhood.

- The statistics are frightening: More than 90% of Skin Cancers are due to sun exposure and only ONE blistering sunburn in childhood more than doubles a person's chances of developing melanoma later in life. My Melanoma was on a spot on my back that has significant sun damage. I can hardly count the number of sunburns that I had as a young kid and a teen because I couldn't be bothered to stand still for 5 minutes too put on sunscreen. Teach your children both BY EXAMPLE and through talking to them, that Sunscreen is part of being outside in the Sun. That one routine could save their lives someday!

• Stay away from tanning booths!

- Seriously, if you need to have a "tan" to feel sexy, use a self-tanner or go get sprayed. There are plenty of NON_UVF options. Of course you should feel sexy no matter what your skin-tone. SEXY comes from WITHIN!

I SWAM FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 10 MONTHS!!

As you may (or may not...) recall, I have been recovering from a torn rotator cuff injury for a long time now. I have been putting off surgery as an absolute *last option.*

Last night I started my 6-week class on Stroke Development at the local REC Center near my house. The class lasts about an hour and it is a small group of 4 adults, so already, I am getting good tips on improving my kick (not really needed in triathlon) and my basic stroke techniques. We probably did about 400 yards max. By the end of the workout, my right shoulder was definitely sore. I took some advil and still last night I had a continuing dream last night that I was in an accident and I broke my neck.

I woke up with a fierce headache that started at the base of the right side of my neck but by the time I got out of the shower, the headache was gone. Must have slept funny on it continuously all night.

MORE IMPORTANTLY - I had NO SORENESS in my right shoulder this morning!!

I am going to go to the pool twice more this week before next Mondays class to practice my drills and am going to keep it to a MAX of 400 yards to start but I AM SO EXCITED!!!

Jim and I were sitting at home last night and I surprised myself when I admitted that I actually missed smelling like chlorine. It's has got to be a geek-triathlon thing.

Life IS Good says a Very, Very Happy Holly!!!

RR: GW Parkway Classic 5K

Sunday, April 27, 2008
5K race distance
Chip Time: 36.17
Pace: 11:41 - That's SUB:12 minute miles BABY!!


If ever there was better weather for a late April race, I can't remember it. This morning it was high 50s and overcast with very little wind. PERFECT RACE WEATHER!

I decided to do the 5K distance for this race and wait for my friend Monica at the finish, who was racing the 10 Mile distance. Because the race start was less than 2 miles from my house, I had Jim drop me off about 2 blocks from Belle Haven Marina instead of heading to Old Towne Alexandria and the Finish Line area and taking the bus to the start.

I picked up my chip, did about a 5 minute warm-up jog and stretched and drank an 10 oz bottle of water and ate 3 Margarita Cliff Blocks while waiting for the race start (I did eat breakfast, a bagel with PB at about 6:30 AM).

The race started at 8:08AM with the 5K and the 10 miler starting simultaneously. The 5K course (part of the 10 mile course) was rolling hills that ran the end of the GW Parkway and then turned left up a steep hill and then down along Union Street through Old Towne Alexandria to Onorco Street and the park near the rail road crossing as the Finish Line.

My goal for the race today was to come in under 36:00 for the 5K distance which would give me a solid pace under 12:00 minute miles and I felt pretty sure that I was going to be able to maintain that pace. My focus was on running each mile with walk breaks ONLY at the mile markers and a brief walk at the water station to make sure I actually drank some water (instead of spilling it down the front of me...)

SPLITS:
Mile 1: 11:22
Mile 2: 12:14
Mile 3: 11:32
1/10 - 1:13

Mile 1 felt great! I just settled into the middle of the pack and did my thing - focusing on being FREE and EASY. At the mile marker the race clock said 11:30. The pace was a little faster than I thought I wanted to go but I knew some hills were coming so I figured it would even out.

Mile 2 was alot of up and down with one steep climb and a FUN DOWNHILL that turned right onto Union Street. The water stop was just before the big climb so I took the time to grab a cup of water and drink it down. I was pretty surprised when we got to the second timing clock and I realized that I was under 24:00 overall - The surprise was that I was still feeling pretty good so I only took a 30 second walk break at Mile 2 - no need to waste the extra seconds.

From the time you get on Union Street and you have started that final Mile, you can see the finish line way off in the distance. I just focused on that bringing that finish line closer and closer. I worked on picking up my speed when my GPS watch beeped at me and looked down to see I had just passed Mile 3 (no clock on the course). With 1/10 of a mile to go, I was at 35:09.

Could I run 1/10 of a mile in under a minute?

I had no idea but I was sure going to try. I just kept my eyes up and pushed as hard as I could, watching that FINISH LINE clock above the banner count down the seconds...35:15, 35:30, 35:45, 35:59, 36:00...

My final finish time was 36:22 (unofficial, no CHIP TIME available yet) - so essentially I did not meet my SUB 36:00 goal however I DID meet my sub 12:00 minute mile goal by averaging 11:36 per mile and I put everything I had into that last 1/10 of a mile to the finish. The GPS confirms that I was averaging a 9:20 running pace in that last 1:12 minutes.

That is a VERY SUCCESSFUL RACE DAY IN MY BOOK!

May Is Melanoma Awareness Month!

Did you know?

1. More than 90% of skin cancer is caused by sun exposure.

The UV rays of the sun are responsible for non-melanoma skin cancers. Unprotected exposure to these rays can be from being outdoors, tanning booths, and even through your car or home windows.

2. Each hour, 1 person dies from skin cancer.

About 2,800 people will die of non-melanoma skin cancer and about 8,000 will die of melanoma in the U.S. this year. The sad thing is that many of these deaths could have been prevented by simply protecting ones self from the sun.

3. Skin cancer accounts for more than 50% of all cancers combined.

Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed type of cancer among men and women.

4. More than one million cases of skin cancer will be diagnosed this year.

The American Cancer Society estimates that 1.5 million cases of skin cancer will be diagnosed this year.

5. Skin cancer is most deadly for African Americans, Asians, and Latinos.

Although the risk factor is rather low for African Americans, Asians, and Latinos, skin cancer can be the most deadly for these groups.

6. 1 in 3 Caucasians will be diagnosed with skin cancer sometime in their life.

1 in 5 Americans will be diagnosed in their lifetime with skin cancer. The risk factor is higher for Caucasians, with it being in 1 in 3.

7. One bad burn in childhood doubles the risk factor for melanoma later in life.

Protecting children against UV exposure is essential for skin health into adulthood. A blistering sun burn during childhood increases the risk of melanoma as an adult. Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer.

April Showers bring May Flowers...

or so they say....

Well the rain kept Jim and I away from the planned bike ride Ride4Melanoma - Annapolis Bike Ride on Sunday but since we already paid our registration on-line, they still got our donation so it all works out in the end.

In spite of the rainy day, the weekend was still very productive. the CANCER to 5K team had a wonderful workout on Saturday and I took full advantage of the sunny day to give Sunshine a much needed bath. This week my bike is going into the local bike shop for a FULL OVERHAUL before the spring gets away from me completely.

Sunday, instead of our planned bike outing, Jim and I spent the full day doing "house projects." We got a lot accomplished!

This week's plans:
• WORK
• Drop off the Bike at the local bike shop
• CANCER to 5K Track & Saturday Workouts
• GW Parkway Classic 5K

Looks to be a busy week, ending in a race. It's time to test my race pace yet again...

Hope you all have a great week! Life is Good! LiveSTRONG!

What I am doing this weekend...

Riding my BIKE!

Come on out and do it too! You can register and get more information by following the link below!

Annapolis RIDE4Melanoma Event



The first annual "Ride4Melanoma" will be held Sunday April 20th in the quaint village of Galesville, Md. Join Team Ride4Melanoma as they raise money for the Children's Melanoma Prevention Foundation and assist in their efforts to educate children about sun safety. You can ride with team members, try out some Specialized demo bikes, get a free bike tune up, educate yourself about skin cancer, and participate in the raffle and silent auction for some great items.

There will be 3 courses to ride:

I) A family friendly 10 mile loop that takes you through the town of Galesville then on to a quiet country road along the banks of the West River.

II) A slightly more challenging 20 mile loop which will lead you through rolling horse country into the sleepy fishing village of Deale located on Rockhold Creek.

III) Our longest loop of 50 miles is for experienced riders which will incorporate lots of rolling hills and spectacular views as your ride along the banks of the Chesapeake Bay.

Jim and I plan to be there around 8AM for an 8:30 RIDE START!

Giant THANK YOU to Bike&Beer for leaving me a comment and letting me know about this local ride! Thanks A and glad to know you are still riding - Hope you are still "tri-ing" when you have time too!

Life is Good! Live STRONG!

Hello, My Name Is...

see more crazy cat pics

N.E.D!!!!!!!

CT Scans came back No Evidence of Metastic Melanoma

:) Three Years down, Two to go to the FIVE YEAR mark...

Life is Good! Live STRONG! Have a great weekend!

No news is GOOD news?

Can you believe that I STILL DON'T HAVE MY CT SCAN RESULTS?

After calling my Dr. office twice?  

Somebody (ME) is going to have to start getting nasty!  This is the first time I have decided to wait for the results instead of hounding the CT department at the hospital for a copy of my report as soon as I am able to get them.

Guess who will be calling the Hospital right now to request a copy of her report?  

YEP, never let is be said that I am not my own BEST MEDICAL ADVOCATE...

I still maintain that when it comes to cancer screenings - No news is GOOD news!  And MOM, I promise to call you as soon as I have that report in hand.

Life is Good!  LiveSTRONG!

Quote of the Day...

I probably heard a quote similar to this somewhere once upon a time BUT today these words came out of my own two lips - so I am claiming it as my own...

"Fear is usually indicative of GREAT POSSIBILITIES 

(or a man chasing you with a chain saw...LOL) 

- either way, FEAR is meant to MOVE US IN A NEW DIRECTION." 

Get a GREAT HAIRCUT and support a GOOD CAUSE!

My friend Keri, a fellow runner and a SHERPA for CANCER to 5K is raising money for Team-in-Training. I can personally attest to the talent and skill at the Ronnie Elias Salon. They are a TOP salon in the NOVA region and this is a great chance to get a good cut AND make a donation to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

It's SPRING! Time to start fresh and new! What better way than with a new *do*! LOL (that is my bad rhyming - Keri had nothing to do with this last sentence...)

Ronnie Alias Salon
2952 Chain Bridge Rd
Oakton, VA 22124
(703) 255-1114

HAPPY BIRTHDAY WALLACE & GROMMETTE

Do CATS have a "terrible twos" stage of life? 

Jim and I are about to find that out!

Hard to believe that two years have gone by already....

Grommette - 3 months old

She was a tiny but a BOLD little Bengal Girl!

Wallace - 3 months old

At 4 months old, they could share a bed.

At 9 months old, they were judging running shoes...

Wallace and Grommette - 2 years old and simply WONDERFUL!

And another one down, another one bites the dust...

Yet another year and yet another round of CT Scans are over. They added a new one to the list ...throat (soft tissue). I guess that is in honor of my recent Thyroid Nodule.

All I can say is if you ever have to get a CT Scan with Contrast - skip the apple juice and grape juice flavors and go straight to Cranberry Juice. It is the least offending of the 4 choices. (grape, apple, orange or cranberry)


So now my yearly CT Scans look like this:
Brain
Neck (soft tissue)
Thorax (fancy word for Chest)
Abdomen
Pelvis

All of this over a spot that was less than 3 mm wide and 1.3 cm deep. CANCER is a nasty bastard, kids.

Here is hoping that this year's 2008 CT Scans are completely "UNREMARKABLE" because I love having the nickname N.E.D. (No Evidence of Disease) very much. I suits me just fine!

I'll let you know when I get the results. (probably not until later next week).

Hey, I'm not worried so don't you be, OK?

Life is GOOD! LiveSTRONG!

Pass it on...

from my sister Heather, to me, and on to you...

PASS IT ON!

(More on Team Hoyt:  Website and an inspiring Video)

Life is Good! 

LiveSTRONG.

Go ahead, brag about your tan lines....

and other such nonsense.  But don't expect any sympathy from me when you find yourself agonizing over a biopsy that could have been prevented with the use of sunscreen and a little common sense!

YO PEOPLE!  SKIN CANCER IS PREVENTABLE!  but first you have to acknowledge the possibility that you could actually get cancer! 

Oh, I'm sorry...that's right, you couldn't possibly get cancer from a TANNING BED now could you?  Never mind from just getting sun in the same spots season after season, like I did.  

Have I ever used a tanning bed? NO

Did I get the occasional tan and sometime even sunburn on my back and shoulders on many a long run or ride or a day at the beach?  YES

Was I diagnosed with Melanoma (SKIN CANCER) in 2005 in a spot that always saw a lot of natural sun during the race season? YES

Don't fool yourself.  If it can happen to me, it can happen to you!

SOME QUICK AND EASY FACTS from SKINCANCER.ORG:

Melanoma is the third most common cancer in women aged 20-39.

People who use tanning beds are 2.5 times more likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma and 1.5 times more likely to develop basal cell carcinoma.

Occasional use of tanning beds almost triples the chances of developing melanoma.

So this is what it looks like ...

When I am focused on nothing but the finish line!

HEY HEATHER!  I FINALLY had a reason to wear the PANDA ZOO hat we bought back in October 2005 after the Army Ten Miler!  Ha Ha!

CANCER to 5K- SPRING 2008 starts tomorrow!  

I can believe that it is already time to start another 12-week training group. We have a great group of runners and volunteers ready to go!  

12 weeks is going to fly by!

Wanna race with us?  

This year we will be doing the Survivor Harbor 7 Race (3-mile option) up in Baltimore, MD 

on Sunday June 8, 2008. 

If you not busy you should register and come and run the race! 

All the cool kids are doing it! LOL

Life is Good!  LiveSTRONG!  

Have a great weekend y'all!