Run Carrie Run!

I can officially say I am a ROCKSTAR!! more to come on the marathon, but I finished and I am so proud of myself. 26.2 you rocked my world…I hope I raised awareness for Dystonia and I can truly say I did it!

Thanks again for all the love and support it is overwhelming and I am exhausted, I will get through all emails and texts soon!

lots of love -

Carrie

it’s here!  the day I have been dreaming about for so long…if you are reading this please send me good thoughts, this will not be easy but I am a fighter and I am prepared to fight for this….however the race ends, I know I truly did my best and I am thankful I was able to say the word “marathon” so many times this year  Thanks to my best friend Liz for raising money, between both of us we raised approximately $24K with all matching donations….Thanks to everyone that donated and thanks to everyone in advance that will be cheering me on from near and far…and I reminded myself this morning smile and have fun with this.  Miles 1-25 are for Suzie, friends, kids with dystonia, and mile 25 – 26.2 is for me…I often forget to celebrate myself but I decided today mile 25-26.2 is for MY strength, MY tenacity and MY ability to take the insurmountable and manage to come through the other end with a smile.

See you at the finish line!

This is it.

I am heading to Chicago in less than 24 hours and am trying to put my finger on my current emotional state – excited, nervous, happy, apprehensive..I am excited to be going to run my first marathon and I am spending more time reflecting on how I was pre-surgery…it wasn’t easy living in my body pre-dbs and it was at times painful and uncomfortable.  To be able to get on this flight to run this race, is truly a miracle of modern science…as I reflected today I remembered to re-read my stanford essay — this was the last paragraph…

In response to the question “What Matters Most to Me”: Each day matters to me, even the bad ones; my family, my friends, my health and my career matter, in that order.    Despite all my frustrations, I can always sit back and remind myself that I have been very successful in my career and I know the best is yet to come.  I still daydream about running a marathon and hope that one day they will find a cure for Dystonia.  What matters most?  I want to win this fight.  I want to destroy this monster that has attacked my body.  And if I don’t, so be it.  I’m the lucky one.

As far as I am concerned, I have already won the fight…if you see me on the course this weekend, please high five me, if you see my cry hand me a tissue, those are tears of gratitude of being able to run a marathon.

Thank you to everyone for all the kind words of encouragement.  This race isn’t for me, it is for everyone that isn’t as lucky as me, it is for Brianna, it is for every child, parent and family member that has seen this disease change lives.  For me, this disease has helped me grow into the runner I am today!

And most of all thank you to my sister Suzie who is always cheering me on and inspires me everyday when she hops on the treadmill….

Good things come to those who wait…

I have been waiting for 26.2 for the last 25 years…bring it Chicago! bring it!

The countdown begins, I wake up telling myself I can do this! and I will!

For everyone that has been emailing or reaching out to me this week, THANK YOU!  this is a team effort and I have everyone who believes in me running on Sunday!

Friends and believing in myself!

Marathon training has been a journey, many ups and many downs.  But my cheering squad has helped me throughout my training.  Every mile, every step I have to think about – land my foot properly, don’t over exert yourself, don’t aggravate your Dystonia.  What many often don’t know is that every step is a conscious thought..next week I will run my longest run yet 6 hours…and today I woke up with some foot pain and some knee pain but I am so close I can see the finish line.  I decided that this morning will be my last run and I know I can do this next week.

I want to thank every text, email, post on this blog, wall message on my Facebook – I couldn’t have done this without any of you.  You all reading this have no idea how you have made me the runner I am today and the marathon star I will become.  I joke and say I will wear my medal for a week…but I probably will.  10 years ago when I wrote in my bschool essay that it will be a miracle if I ever have the chance to run a marathon…well that miracle is very close and this blog is just to thank everyone who has given me love and support on this journey.

Thank you!

My video of the week…

Run Carrie Run!

With less than 2 weeks away, I am going to publicly admit I am nervous.  I know I am going to try and do my best and I want my best to be 26.2.  The most mileage I have done has been 17 miles but I know I am strong enough to get it completed.  I do know at this point I need love, support and words of encouragement.  My analytical mind is telling me I am iffy on finishing and my dreamer mind is telling me I can do it.  I am not great at asking for help…but I will now, please send me all your kind words during the next 2 weeks to help me realize I can and I will get my 26.2 medal.

Thanks!!!

3 weeks away…2 more training sundays then 26.2

I can do it!  Mind over legs  Today I ran 16.25 miles and I am not going to lie, it wasn’t easy…there were hills, there were rocks and there were stairs…but I did it…for a period of time I thought I couldn’t do it but after I started telling myself I can, I cranked out 16 miles…the marathon is all about doing my best and believing in myself…I am still training for the next 2 weeks, still believing and keep on telling myself, that no matter the outcome this has been a journey well traveled and that I am running miles that most of my “normal” friends don’t even run.  

Here is an awesome pic from today’s run – a carrie smile, a run on the golden gate bridge and a perfect sunny day. In a nutshell – an almost perfect run!

Please don’t forget to donate!

http://www.rsvpbook.com/event.php?460916