Tomorrow is the day!

I'm usually a pretty laid-back guy (unless you ask my wife), but I gotta tell you....I am soooooo nervous about tomorrow. It's not just the run, it's running with Krissy. I can't wait!
Krissy and her parents just left here for the night, and we'll meet up with them EARLY tomorrow. The stroller is decorated with all of the ribbons, the wheels are tuned up and ready, and I'm headed for some before bed stretching. Just can't wait to see how things pan out tomorrow. It will be interesting for sure!
Thank you so much to all of you who helped us with this fundraiser. We didn't quite get to our goal, but we were able to raise more than I was expecting in a fairly short time period.
If you are interested in contributing and haven't had a chance, you can still log onto crowdrise and make a donation. All funds are going to be split between A Butterfly's Touch and SOFT.
http://www.crowdrise.com/runningwithkrissy

Krissy is going to rock this tomorrow....and I'm not about to let her down!

4 days to go...getting nervous!

Had a great flight with the family Monday night, arriving safely at SeaTac Airport late in the evening. Tuesday, got to go up and see Terre and Krissy again. She's gotten so much bigger than I remember! We loved being able to see her up in her walker. We were able to get her in the running stroller to check for fitment and comfort. She certainly seemed to enjoy it...even took a short walk together. She has such an amazing smile! :-)

Today, got some errands run for the upcoming fundraiser and got to spend some more time with family and friends. Tomorrow...up to see Krissy again for a short run. Then, taking the stroller to the bicycle shop for a quick tune-up so everything is ready to go for Sunday.

I'm hoping all goes well for Sunday. It sounds like the weather might just cooperate. I'm just hoping that I'm not so slow that Krissy is completely bored crazy. Here's to being nervous :)

If you haven't had a chance, check out https://www.facebook.com/running.for.trisomy.and.infant.loss

We're still taking names to add to ribbons on Krissy's running stroller for the half marathon.

Also, all money raised at http://www.crowdrise.com/runningwithkrissy is being donated to S.O.F.T (Support Organization for Trisomy disorders) and A Butterfly's Touch (a non-profit providing infant loss support).

2 weeks to go...it's going to be great!!

2 weeks to go...and all I can say is amazing! What a great way to start off the weekend. Just 2 days ago we started a new Facebook page for the Running with Krissy awareness fundraiser. This morning we were over 80 likes on the page already!! We have also had a great influx of donations through www.crowdrise.com/runningwithkrissy 

What a great surprise to come home to after a long run. 

Speaking of that long run...this was my last before the big event. Gusty winds and all the hills of northern San Antonio couldn't stop me this morning. Took the stroller 10.6 miles today in 2:01. A mile and a half further than my previous longest run. I can't wait to hit the flat Portland course. Running Krissy and all of her accompanying ribbons will be....amazing!

Thank you all for all of your support this far..and please keep it up. We have only 2 weeks until the Portland (half) marathon!!! 

Only 3 weeks to go...amazing run this morning!

Like the title says...only 3 weeks to go until my epic run with Krissy. I cannot believe that I'm actually going to be able to do this. As a self-proclaimed "lazy person", I never used to be much of a runner. If you'd told me I would run a half-marathon, I'd have laughed at you. If you'd said I would do it pushing a stroller...I'd have told you that you were crazy!

Now here I stand (well, lay and recover actually) getting ready to do exactly that. This morning was my longest run ever...9.1 miles! And I did it with a stroller!

I cannot wait for Oregon.

Thank you to all those who have been supporting and cheering me on through this. I could never do this without you all.

3 1/2 weeks to go...first brick workout in ages!

Ok...so with 3 1/2 weeks left until my run with Krissy, I decided to use my day off for a brick workout...something I haven't done in a couple of months. 14 mile bicycle ride, immediately followed by a 2 mile run. Yes...my legs felt like bricks...lol

However, the longer runs lately must be doing me some good, because I felt strong on the bike today, and even when the legs started cramping on the run, I was able to power through.

It felt great. Can't wait for the Portland half marathon October 6th with Krissy!

If you haven't had a chance yet, and you feel like you can help, please visit our fundraiser page and help us get closer to our goal! Thank you!!!

http://www.crowdrise.com/runningwithkrissy

Happy birthday Vhonnii....and 4 weeks until the run!

Another wonderful Saturday. Jhia-Vhonnii turned 11 years old today. I can't believe it!!!

Also, I got up early (before the kids) and got an 8-mile run in with the stroller. I'm convinced that heat and humidity here are going to kill me! Well...looking forward to running with Krissy on a flat, cooler course.

Please, share this adventure with anyone you can to help us raise money for this fundraiser.

 http://www.crowdrise.com/runningwithkrissy

Happy Labor Day!

Happy Labor Day everyone! Well, another day off starts with another long run. The plan was 8.5 miles. I don't know if it was not sleeping well last night, being dehydrated, the ridiculous humidity this morning (80F with 95% humidity!), or just the sore hip and calves....it just was NOT going to happen...lol.
However, I DID manage to drag myself through 7.5 miles again....not what I'd planned, but not terrible. Now...we're down to 5 weeks until the run. Portland Half Marathon running with Krissy...here we come!!! We still have LOTS of fundraising to complete by then, so PLEASE...of you can, check out our crowdrise fundraising page and give what you can. ANYTHING helps....all donations will go to A Butterfly's Touch and SOFT.
http://www.crowdrise.com/runningwithkrissy/

If you're local to Portland, don't forget the Walk to Remember hosted by A Butterfly's Touch on Saturday October 12th. We will again be having a memorial service and silent auction along with the walk.
See you there!!

Larry

Texas Heat

Just finished a quick run after work :-)
3.25miles, 10min/mile pace, pushing the stroller up and down the hills around here. 100F and 35% humidity! I'll take it! Also, got ahold of Les Smith from the Portland Marathon. They're going to put an article in their upcoming August newsletter about Krissy and I running the 13.1 for charity. So awesome, I can't wait!

Epic morning

Wow! Almost decided not to get up and run this morning, but I needed a longer run. Yesterday, I only managed a 2 mile walk/run with my 10-yr-old son because his knee was bothering him.

So, I dragged myself out of bed anyway and hit the road.

7.5 miles with the stroller this morning! The temperature was a lovely 78F, but the 94% humidity was a bit rough. This was my longest run yet, and the longest run with the stroller by over 2 miles.

I can't wait to run in the nice cool Portland weather without the wonderful hills of south Texas.

 

Okay, so after a long week and not nearly enough working out, I'm ready to buckle back down on my running. Between work, football practice, and trying to set up the new aquarium, I just don't know where the days went. 30 mile bike ride on Tuesday....then nothing :(
Hoping for a short run after church tomorrow, then I work tomorrow night. The upside??? I have Monday and Tuesday off....soooo long run (with the stroller) and long ride here I come.
Here's hoping for a more workout focused week!

Wow...well apparently this writing a blog is going to be more difficult than I originally anticipated. I just can't seem to remember to log on and write an update...lol
So, here we go. It has been very busy around the Wheat household with football season starting and getting the homeschool year going again. Despite this, I've managed to maintain at least some of my training/running time.
The San Antonio, TX heat and humidity (especially in the morning) has been wreaking havoc...but we stride on and persevere.

Some training updates: I'm up to 6 mile long-run days the last couple of weeks, with a few 3-4 mile runs sprinkled in each week when time allows (usually quickly after work and before football practice).
This week, 7 mile run most likely tomorrow morning (my day off). I'm also managing to get some cross-training cardio in on my work days. About once a week or so I'm riding my bicycle to work - a 30 mile round trip :-) I rode this morning in fact!
I've also been practicing running with a stroller part of the time...although it is definitely different running with it empty.
Assuming I don't actually injure myself, I should be good to go for the run with Krissy in October. I can't wait! I chatted with Terre not long ago, and she was going to have Krissy's brothers run with her occasionally too to help her become more used to the stroller idea.
I'm really looking forward to completing the Portland Half Marathon with Krissy. This will be a new accomplishment for me physically...but also much more. This will be an opportunity to raise awareness for SOFT and for A Butterfly's Touch.
As it turns out, the weekend after the run is A Butterfly's Touch's Walk to Remember and fundraising auction. (probably more of a stumble to remember for me...lol).
I hope to see many of you there at the Walk to Remember.
If you can, please help our fundraising cause for this run by visiting:
http://www.crowdrise.com/runningwithkrissy/
Anything you can do will help!

More to come (hopefully soon)

This is the beginning of a new blog to follow the progress of training, fundraising, and preparation for an upcoming fundraiser I've entitled "Running with Krissy".
As pretty much any one reading this blog already knows, I will be running (and hopefully completing!) the Portland, OR half-marathon (13.1 miles) in October. Not a big deal to most...it's just a half-marathon.
But, being me, that just wouldn't do. So, I decided to make a fundraiser out of this event. After contacting the leadership for the Portland Marathon, I've been able to compete as an "unofficial charity" and collect donations (as well as the nonprofit portion of my entry fee) to split between A Butterfly's Touch and SOFT.
What makes this different than any other half-marathon? I'm glad you asked :-)
I'm actually going to run the half-marathon with Krissy - a 13-year-old girl who has full Trisomy 18. Many of you know that Trisomy 18 is what affected Abigail Renee Wheat (our first daughter who was stillborn). Amazingly, Krissy has made it to age 13! She is such a sweet, happy girl, and I will be blessed to run pushing her for 13.1 miles.
Ok, there you have it. Blog entry #1 from Texas. I plan to update this blog as things progress for about the next 10 weeks until the run.
If you would like any more info about the charities that I'm fundraising for, please click the links below:
http://www.abutterflystouch.org
http://trisomy.org/

If you would be willing to help out with a donation, please click here:
http://www.crowdrise.com/runningwithkrissy/

Thank you so much for your support!