As the year comes to an end, I though I would post a blog reflecting on both the past events of 2011 and the future of 2012!
2011 was quite a year for both my family and myself. Personally, it was a year that opened the door to many upcoming opportunities: I took my medical school qualifying exam, applied to medical school, received a promotion at work, and successfully ran my 1st marathon with my brother Vinny! However, the most important accomplishment of 2011 was the announcement of my mother’s Lymphoma remission! When reflecting back on this past year I find that perseverance, family and hope accurately define 2011. Thank you to everyone who was a presence in my life during the past year. To quote my wonderful grandfather, I feel that I am “richer than Bill Gates” for the love that I have in my family and friends.
And now, looking forward, on to 2012! I have a few things planned out, such as completing THE Boston Marathon and hopefully starting medical school in August (everyone knock on wood after reading this!), but what I love most about starting a new year is the feeling of the unknown since so much excitement comes through life’s surprises. That being said, those that know me understand that I am a woman who likes to control my own destiny: “luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”
This past week I enjoyed the 60 degree weather of Dallas and my actions reflected the above quote: preparing for the opportunity of a lifetime – the Boston Marathon! Santa was very generous to me this year and bought me a new pair of running shoes from Luke’s Locker in Dallas, TX. My new babies are the Brooks Women’s Glycerin 9. They are a blue/black neutral shoe that are a combination of my past 2 shoes (Nike Vomero and Asics Landryth). I went on 2 easy runs (3 miles each at 9 min/mile pace) and felt fantastic! I am going to really pick up the intensity in 2012, but will intermix in the beginning with a lot of yoga and strength training as to not aggravate my temperamental IT band.
Other than running outside along the Katy Trail in Dallas, I enjoyed a vinyasa yoga class at Dallas Yoga Center and went Go-Karting with my dad and brother (which does not technically fit into my training schedule, but boy did it make me sore!!!). I realized that this post has gotten a little long (Does Val ramble???) so I will save my marathon training schedule and strength training routine until next time. On that topic also, I am SO sorry for my infrequency in blogging, but as a New Years resolution to myself (and my running fans) I promise to blog at least once a week (probably on Sunday when I’m recovering from Saturday’s long run!).
For a quick fundraising update, I have SURPASSED by half-way point and have currently raised $2,638.00 (checks have not yet been entered into the CrowdRise website). I cannot tell you how EXCITED I am about this accomplishment and how lucky I feel to have people in my life who are so generous, especially around the holidays and my birthday (which is January 30th) :)
I love you all so much and I cannot wait to see what 2012 will bring into our lives.
Peace, Love and RUNNING
Valerie
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
The perks of being on the MGH Marathon Team…
Tonight was our first MGH Marathon Team meeting, and let me tell you, it was awesome. First of all, I have volunteered to be a team captain for our group! As many of you know, I am a somewhat enthusiastic person (especially when it comes to running), and now I get to use that energy towards inspiring my team mates! Specifically, as a team leader I will help to organize our group long-runs and also hope to set up some track-workouts – since those are my favorite! Our first team run will be January 7th, so I will be sure to update you as my captain-ship develops, but now to the good stuff, THE PERKS!
In addition to the accomplishment of raising $5,000.00 and the personal honor that it will be to run this race on behalf of my mother, Jan Mertz, MGH sets up the team with a number of events pre and post race…
1)Runners get a pasta dinner the night before the marathon at the Seaport Hotel. Yum!
2)On the morning of race day, there will be a private MGH tent in Hopkinton, MA that has its OWN PORTA-POTTIES. I realize for all you non-runners out there that this seems like a completely bizarre “perk” to be excited about, but let me try and paint a picture. It is race day, at 7am and you are freezing, nervous, and really have to pee. You get in line for the porta-potties and realize that there are only 10 potties, for 2,000 runners, and it is 15 minutes to start time... aka, you will not make it. You look around and notice a small wooded area, so you jog over and enter a mine-field of runners – some are slightly indecent, some are completely indecent and everyone is completely frantic. You enter this “mine-field” and try to find a clear, but hidden spot, all while averting your eyes from basically everywhere but your own two feet. As you can imagine, this is a traumatic experience and thus you can see my excitement over a private port potty!
3)(LISTEN UP FAMILY AND FRIENDS!) On race day, there will be a MGH “Cheering Squad” at Mile 20!! The Cheering Squad is open to family and friends of runners, and there will be both a tent set up and a mountain of food for spectators!
4)MGH has another tent organized at the end of the race where runners can meet up with their family and friends and head over to...
5)THE POST RACE PARTY! This will be held at the FitCorps Gym in the Prudential building and will host food, drinks, showers (for runners...or spectators, depending on how energetic you got while cheering), and best of all, MASSAGES! Honestly, I do not know whether I am more excited for the massages or porta-potties...it is a tough choice.
So all in all, pretty sweet right?! Other than that, I do not have too much to update on the training end of things. I am still on a “break” from running due to my IT-band injury. I have not felt pain in my knee since I ran the B.A.A. ½ Marathon in mid-October, but I have decided to still hold off on any running until the end of December. However, this does not mean I have not been “training” per say - I regularly visiting the gym for a full-body strength workout 2x a week, and I will be sure to write a post on the exercises I use later in the month.
And before I leave for the night, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to all my WONDERFUL donors who have already donated to my race! So far I have raised $1,795.00!!!!!! I may even reach $2,000.00 by the end of the year with the help from a few more of my frienddssssss (only $205 to GO, cough cough) :)
Also, I know some of you have inquired about how to send checks, so let me explain the process. Tonight at the meeting I was informed that the best way to send a check would be to send it directly to me (address below) with the check made payable to “Massachusetts General Hospital” and my name listed in the memo. I will then fill out a donation cover sheet and send it to the development office. The checks will be uploaded to my fund raising website, so please be on the lookout on Crowdrise for your donation!
Valerie Valant
48 Revere St, Apt 3
Boston, MA 02114
I love you all and I am SO excited that you are all joining me in my adventure!!
Peace, love, and RUNNING!
Xoxo Valerie
In addition to the accomplishment of raising $5,000.00 and the personal honor that it will be to run this race on behalf of my mother, Jan Mertz, MGH sets up the team with a number of events pre and post race…
1)Runners get a pasta dinner the night before the marathon at the Seaport Hotel. Yum!
2)On the morning of race day, there will be a private MGH tent in Hopkinton, MA that has its OWN PORTA-POTTIES. I realize for all you non-runners out there that this seems like a completely bizarre “perk” to be excited about, but let me try and paint a picture. It is race day, at 7am and you are freezing, nervous, and really have to pee. You get in line for the porta-potties and realize that there are only 10 potties, for 2,000 runners, and it is 15 minutes to start time... aka, you will not make it. You look around and notice a small wooded area, so you jog over and enter a mine-field of runners – some are slightly indecent, some are completely indecent and everyone is completely frantic. You enter this “mine-field” and try to find a clear, but hidden spot, all while averting your eyes from basically everywhere but your own two feet. As you can imagine, this is a traumatic experience and thus you can see my excitement over a private port potty!
3)(LISTEN UP FAMILY AND FRIENDS!) On race day, there will be a MGH “Cheering Squad” at Mile 20!! The Cheering Squad is open to family and friends of runners, and there will be both a tent set up and a mountain of food for spectators!
4)MGH has another tent organized at the end of the race where runners can meet up with their family and friends and head over to...
5)THE POST RACE PARTY! This will be held at the FitCorps Gym in the Prudential building and will host food, drinks, showers (for runners...or spectators, depending on how energetic you got while cheering), and best of all, MASSAGES! Honestly, I do not know whether I am more excited for the massages or porta-potties...it is a tough choice.
So all in all, pretty sweet right?! Other than that, I do not have too much to update on the training end of things. I am still on a “break” from running due to my IT-band injury. I have not felt pain in my knee since I ran the B.A.A. ½ Marathon in mid-October, but I have decided to still hold off on any running until the end of December. However, this does not mean I have not been “training” per say - I regularly visiting the gym for a full-body strength workout 2x a week, and I will be sure to write a post on the exercises I use later in the month.
And before I leave for the night, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to all my WONDERFUL donors who have already donated to my race! So far I have raised $1,795.00!!!!!! I may even reach $2,000.00 by the end of the year with the help from a few more of my frienddssssss (only $205 to GO, cough cough) :)
Also, I know some of you have inquired about how to send checks, so let me explain the process. Tonight at the meeting I was informed that the best way to send a check would be to send it directly to me (address below) with the check made payable to “Massachusetts General Hospital” and my name listed in the memo. I will then fill out a donation cover sheet and send it to the development office. The checks will be uploaded to my fund raising website, so please be on the lookout on Crowdrise for your donation!
Valerie Valant
48 Revere St, Apt 3
Boston, MA 02114
I love you all and I am SO excited that you are all joining me in my adventure!!
Peace, love, and RUNNING!
Xoxo Valerie
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Boston or Bust: here we go!
"I'm never going to run this again" - Grete Waitz after the first of nine NYC Marathons.
I can tell you, from personal experience, that running a marathon is nothing less than complete and utter pain. Your entire body does not just hurt, it throbs. This includes (but is not limited to) your feet, shins, calf, knees, quads, hamstrings, glutes, lower back, upper back, shoulders and neck. And let's not forget the best part - the blisters, chafing and complete physical and mental exhaustion. So why do it? Because there is nothing else in the world more empowering than running 26.2 miles. You run through the pain because you know you can't quit - you use it to push you forward, knowing that it would be ridiculous to walk the last 3 miles when you've already finished 23.2.
I completed my first Marathon on September 11, 2011. My brother and I both ran the Lehigh Valley Health Network Marathon in an attempt to qualify for the 2012 Boston Marathon. Although we both missed qualification by about 10 minutes, we made great time and physically left everything we had on the course (3:16:18 for Vinny, and 3:51:28 for me). As we lay on the ground post race (see photo on the right), Vinny vowed to never run a marathon again, however, I knew it would not be my last.
So, here we are again! On April 16, 2012 I will be running the Boston Marathon as a member of the Massachusetts General Hospital team. Our team's theme is "Fighting Kids' Cancer ... One Step at a Time," however, my personal reasons for running on the MGH team are a little closer to home: My mother. In 2005 my mother was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma and immediately began treatments at Massachusetts General Hospital. Over the past 6 years, we have experienced a roller-coaster of successes and setbacks, but ultimately have come out on top: my mother was declared "in-remission" on November 11, 2011! Her victory could not have been reached without the MGH oncology team, who compassionately supported my mother and my family both physically and mentally. I am honored to be running the 2012 Boston Marathon for an organization who has given me and my family a priceless gift and I thank you in advance for your support and interest in my cause!
Over the next 4 months, I will be updating my blog on my training, dietary habits, injuries and the mental battles that I encounter. Please feel free to comment and thank you in advance for taking the time to read my story!
I can tell you, from personal experience, that running a marathon is nothing less than complete and utter pain. Your entire body does not just hurt, it throbs. This includes (but is not limited to) your feet, shins, calf, knees, quads, hamstrings, glutes, lower back, upper back, shoulders and neck. And let's not forget the best part - the blisters, chafing and complete physical and mental exhaustion. So why do it? Because there is nothing else in the world more empowering than running 26.2 miles. You run through the pain because you know you can't quit - you use it to push you forward, knowing that it would be ridiculous to walk the last 3 miles when you've already finished 23.2.
I completed my first Marathon on September 11, 2011. My brother and I both ran the Lehigh Valley Health Network Marathon in an attempt to qualify for the 2012 Boston Marathon. Although we both missed qualification by about 10 minutes, we made great time and physically left everything we had on the course (3:16:18 for Vinny, and 3:51:28 for me). As we lay on the ground post race (see photo on the right), Vinny vowed to never run a marathon again, however, I knew it would not be my last.
So, here we are again! On April 16, 2012 I will be running the Boston Marathon as a member of the Massachusetts General Hospital team. Our team's theme is "Fighting Kids' Cancer ... One Step at a Time," however, my personal reasons for running on the MGH team are a little closer to home: My mother. In 2005 my mother was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma and immediately began treatments at Massachusetts General Hospital. Over the past 6 years, we have experienced a roller-coaster of successes and setbacks, but ultimately have come out on top: my mother was declared "in-remission" on November 11, 2011! Her victory could not have been reached without the MGH oncology team, who compassionately supported my mother and my family both physically and mentally. I am honored to be running the 2012 Boston Marathon for an organization who has given me and my family a priceless gift and I thank you in advance for your support and interest in my cause!
Over the next 4 months, I will be updating my blog on my training, dietary habits, injuries and the mental battles that I encounter. Please feel free to comment and thank you in advance for taking the time to read my story!
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