4 Days Before Race Day!!! Help me meet my goal of $2,000!

Wow! Time sure has flown. This coming Sunday, July 25th, 2010 is finally race day! Some exciting news: My fundraising count as of today is $1,507! I am so grateful for all of your support in the past few months -- I will definitely be thinking of all of you as I huff and puff towards the finish line this Sunday. But It's not over yet! I have 4 days to raise the last $500 towards my goal of $2,000 - will you help me make it???

In running news: Things have definitely been slowing down the last week. We had our last track night at Kezar last Wednesday and I'm very sad it's over. The experience of meeting with our small (but mighty!) group every week to run laps and stairs, do sit ups and push ups, and, most often of all, curse and wine at Coach Zach for making us do all said activities, has been wonderful and I'm going to miss the comraderie. What was even more exciting about our Shanti C.A.R.E.S. running group was we were all there supporting an organization we truly believe in. Running not just to get in better shape, or lose weight, or gain a boyfriend (who me?), but to make a difference in people's lives.

Sadly I could not partake in our last long Saturday run due to a crazy muscle spasm in my back and neck that left me in bed groaning all weekend not being able to move my head.  But Coach/boyfriend Zach came through for me and got me through a hilly and grueling 8.5 miles on Tuesday so I could stay up with our training schedule. Now we're into tapering mode so running only 2-5 miles until the race just to keep our legs loose.  

I have to admit I'm getting a bit nervous about the race on Sunday, 13.1 miles still seems like a lot o miles.  At the same time I know that I've been working hard over these past few months and while it still might be hard, I AM GOING TO GET OVER THAT FINISH LINE!!!  And then maybe pass out...

If you want to come cheer me on here's a map of the course http://0e6973abf50bbd86ca98c4a480b43153b7c6801e.gripelements.com/pdf/maps/map_2ndhalf.pdf

Wish me luck!

My Longest Run Ever and Tales of a Runner in Paris

I know, it's been for-e-ver since I wrote. I apologize and have no real excuse besides the fact that blogging is time consuming! So since so much has happened in the story of my running life since my last entry, I will try to fit in 2 entries in 1! Amazing I know! I'm a magician in my free time.

Cue curtain and deep slow drawl of the narrator's voice: It was a hot and sweaty day here in San Francisco on June 12, 2010. Even at 8:30 in the morning the sun glared down at us, daring us to run under its burning gaze. That's right, the normally temperate San Francisco laughed in our faces the one morning us Shanti C.A.R.E.S. 1/2 marathoners were going to be running a whopping 11 miles. Not only were we running 11 miles (yes those are double 1's) but we were running part of the course of the actual SF Marathon, the part that goes across the GG bridge and through the Presidio -- the hilliest part!
Starting at the Presidio Sports Basement, our group took off with a collective deep breath, knowing it was going to be a doozy. Boy was it ever! Not only was that deceivingly cheery yellow ball in the sky emitting some of the hottest rays San Francisco has ever seen (okay maybe not ever but give me a little poetic license here), but strong gusts of air, sometimes known as wind, also decided to join us and decided it would be hilarious to push against us the whole 1 1/2 miles across the bridge. Those first few miles sure weren't easy. Then came the hills. This was no crappy reality tv show, this was some real elevation folks. This run took us many hours, caused many a curse word to be uttered and brought about threats to never run again, however, thanks to Mindy's amazingly kind hubby, Sean, we were greeted at various stops along the route and fed electrolyte enhanced water so we didn't pass out like Zach did one day (see that's Zach passed out). Yes, I know, he wears funny shoes. Anyway....I did it! I completed the longest run of my life, and the longest run I would be completing before the actual 13.1 on race day and to boot, there was no passing out! I am proud to report that I will not be letting all you wonderful donors that have helped me raise over $1,000 for Shanti down by not being able to complete the race. Whew!

Part Duex: Paris.

One week later after the hardest and longest run ever, I was on an airplane heading towards Paris, France. I knew that I had to get some runs in during my 2 week vacation or my strict coach (otherwise known as lovely boyfriend) Zach would never forgive me, ever. He said so. So just to prove that I did run, I took this picture. See that's me running in Paris. I know it looks like I'm standing there but I'm really running. In Paris. There's really not much of a tale here. Besides that running in Paris (which you can see me doing in the above picture) was hot and sticky and I got lots of stares from Parisians that didn't know what I was doing. (Damn you naturally skinny chocolate croissant eating Parisians that never excerise ever).

So that's all for today folks. The race is 2 weeks away so I'll do my best to update once more before then. But here's another shameless fundraising plug. To donate, please go to https://www.givedirect.org/give/givefrm.asp?CID=1504 and just put Ariana Katz for Shanti CARES in the comments. Your donation is 100% tax deductible (and I will personally write a note on your tax receipt) and you'll win my love and respect for at least a week....just kidding...forever! Also, if you donate I have the chance to win a free day off from work!! We're having an inter-departmental fundraising contest and even though I just got back from vacay who doesn't like more days off???

Ariana and her Very Sore Tendon

I swear I'm a 25 year old in a -- well I won't put any age to it because my Gma could kick my a** and she's 86 so let's just say, -- different age group's body. I attended our first long run training last Saturday and us beginner folk ran 4.5 miles!! It was the longest I've run in months for sure and after about 3.75 of it my right foot really gave me grief. For a little background: I started training for a 10 mile race in February, right after I got my cast off my wrist, but since my muscles had atrophied from doing little more than walking for over a month, my tendon got the brunt of the effort and decided to fight back. 2 weeks into that training I had to stop running for another 2 weeks because I woke up and couldn't take a step on that foot. Ariana's tendon 1, Ariana 0. But I've been slowly builing up again and I'm going to prevail! I finished the Saturday run and even completed the victory lap around Kezar Stadium! Yay!

That 10 mile race I was training for is actually this coming Sunday. Needless to say I will not be doing the 10 miles (as a compromise to that nasty Tendon of mine...let's name him Mr. T (names have been changed to protect the innocent - and the sensitive). However, there is a 10k option so I will be attempting that. Yes that's right, after only having built up to 4.5 miles and being in pain all the while I'm going to attempt a little over 6 miles a week later. Crazy? Sure! Not as crazy as our co-captain Zach who's training for the SF Marathon WHILE training for some Ironman Triathalon (who does that??). Anywho...I'll keep you all posted on the running attempts.



If anyone wants to donate to my efforts, our dear co-captain Mindy will be treating us to beer tomorrow night after our cross training if we raise any money (I know I needed to pull at your heart strings SOMEHOW). :) You can visit my fundraising page here: https://secure2.merchantcart.net/runsfm//mywebpage.cfm?pid=457054.

For real though, while I am running so that I can get back into shape and have a goal to aim for, I probably wouldn't have chosen this race if I truly didn't believe in raising money for the cause. Shanti is an amazing organization that makes a difference in thousands of lives each year by providing a variety of services ranging from healthcare navigation, wellness workshops, food assistance, patient advocacy and more to San Franciscans living with HIV/AIDS or breast cancer. I need your help to ensure we can continue to serve every client that walks through our doors so please donate today!

Thank you for reading!

Ariana and her Running Woes

I feel like I'm getting used to this running thing...but apparently running comes with lots of messed up feet issues that are sort of akin to relationship issues. When I last wrote, I mentioned Mr. T (that's my sore tendon if you recall). Now I wasn't really into Mr. T but sometimes they just don't know when to quit. After a few weeks with Mr. T, I had a small fling with an issue named Mr. A. Mr. A is my swollen left ankle and he appeared after a late night of dancing followed by a day of playing grass volleyball at Fort Mason. I mean it was fun and all but Mr. A isn't really my type (I tend to go with the strong healthy ankle types).

MR. T was still hanging around a bit hoping to get some quality Ariana time, so last Sunday, Mr. A, Mr. T and I all ran that 10k I was telling you about. It was an amazing sunny day and we ran the whole 6.2 miles, from the Presidio Sports Basement, across the Golden Gate Bridge and back along Crissy field. Thankfully, after the run, I think MR. A & T knew that it wasn't going to work out between the three of us -- they couldn't really handle the competition. Mr. T and I have since parted ways (lets just say we had irreconcilable differences - sayonara Mr. T!!). (See that's Mindy and I celebrating Mr. T's departure). Really, it was thanks to my body guards Dr. Wang and Bart (yes those are the real names of my chiropractor and masseuse) that Mr. T is no longer around. Mr. A and I are on the out and out too but he's still having a hard time accepting the break up and likes to flare up now and again.

I had now made it through a Wednesday practice with the Shanti C.A.R.E.S team, in which we completed one full hour and 3.5 miles of sprints around Kezar Stadium, I had successfully run the 10k and shaken off Mr. A & T -- I felt like nothing could stop me! But then, along came Mr. B. Mr. B is my really really big blister on the arch of my foot. Mr. B appeared after running about 6 miles this past Saturday on our long training run from the edge of Golden Gate Park, through the wiggle, to Dolores Park and back. I can already tell it's not going to work out with Mr. B because he doesn't like me to walk, let alone run. I think this might only be a few days and then we're through.

On a happier note - all of you AMAZING people that have already donated are, well, AMAZING!!! I got to enjoy a few lovely beers and some delicious appetizers at Kan Zaman in the Haight after that Wednesday practice thanks to you all - and let me tell you, after 3.5 miles of sprinting, that beer tasted mighty fine. And, because you all are, yup, AWESOME, I've already raised over 50% of my fundraising goal!!! Soooo....I think I'm going to make it more interesting, since I have another 3 months to do it, and raise my goal to $2,000!! Please send my fundraising page along to anyone you think might be interested in supporting Shanti, and my running woes. https://secure2.merchantcart.net/runsfm//mywebpage.cfm?pid=457054.

If they need more incentive besides reading my silly blogs, no idea why they would but either way, you can let them know this: every $0.85 to the dollar that Shanti receives goes directly back into helping an individual with a life threatening illness. Just this last year, our breast cancer program, LifeLines, absorbed a 55% increase clients with fewer resources due to budget cuts. So please donate today and help Shanti continue providing compassionate care to those most in need.

Thank you!!!

O yah, and by the way...here's my gma - see how in shape and awesome she is! That's why I call her my g-ma..she's hella gangsta.