Unsung Heroes

I would like to dedicate this blog post to the unsung heroes of running, the spectators (and especially the oft-forgotten running spouse/parent/sibling/support person)!

There is a reason that running is quite often a punishment in some sports.  You missed that shot?  Run laps.  You didn't catch the ball?  Run laps.  Running is hard!

Whether you are trying to stay motivated to run your first mile without stopping to walk, gearing up to toe the line of your first race, or even running your 100th race, runners would not be where they are without a strong support system.

Mini Marathon 2014.  Runners and our families!

These support people put up with and make sacrifices for their running counterparts in many different ways.  Running is a commitment that at some point will interfere with your everyday life.  Family events may be missed or cut short due to the necessity of a long run in preparation of a race.  Spare money may start going towards specialized running shoes or race entry fees.  If the runner and support person live together, they will even have to start putting up with super extra smelly and sweaty clothes!

Matt and his dad Bob were waiting for me as I finished the Little Miami Half Marathon.

When the runner finally does line up for a race, the support person has to make one of the biggest sacrifices of all...sleep!  For a lot of races, especially the larger ones, the event starts early in order to beat the heat of the day.  That means that after you factor in preparation time (dressing, breakfast, etc.), drive time, parking time, packet pick-up time, and time it takes to get to the start line, it already feels like a whole day has passed and 8:00 am hasn't even occurred yet!  And if the race is a longer one (say, a half marathon/13.1 miles), the poor support person has to wait around for between two and three hours for the runner to finish!  They may not have run at all, but they sure deserve a medal and a t-shirt for waking up early, cheering for the runners, and being so positive!

My mom and me after my first marathon.  She is a running wife AND a running mom!

The spectators at races are wonderful as well, especially at a large event like the Mini Marathon.  Bands volunteer their time to play music along the route.  People stand outside of their houses along the route to cheer.  People make signs to encourage the runners.  I ran a half marathon last year where a man had a whole wagon full of miniature water bottles, tissues, and cough drops (it was a cold day)!  I have seen people put out their lawn sprinklers for runners to go through when it is hot outside.  Last year at the Mini, a group of belly dancers even danced to encourage the participants!

Santa Hustle Half Marathon 2013.  Poor Matt waited in the 20 degree weather for me while I ran, but had a smile on his face when I finished!

 Volunteers make the whole race world possible.  From setting up and tearing down to manning the booths at the expos to helping people find their way to handing out water and Gatorade, they are wonderful.  The police officers who help to hold up traffic so runners can pass safely are amazing.  One of my favorite things to do at races is to thank and high-five the volunteers and police officers.  They do not get thanked enough for what are probably the most valuable jobs in the whole race!

The Mini Marathon has amazing support people, spectators, and volunteers.  I think that is why it is one of my favorite races!  Training is going well for me so far.  I have been able to run outside a couple of times but due to cold weather, most of my running has been confined to the indoors on my treadmill.

So far, I have raised $300 for Riley Hospital for Children as part of Team Riley and "Mini with a Meaning."  I am so happy to have raised this much, but I still need your help to reach my $500 goal!  If you have not donated yet, please consider donating even just a few dollars.  It all adds up!
Thank you!
http://donate.rileykids.org/goto/staceydraper

Cross-training

Cross-training is an important part of running.  Constant pounding on the legs day after day is not good for your joints and muscles, so cross-training (ie doing different forms of exercise) helps keep you in shape while giving your legs a break.

I have never been very good at cross-training.  A lot of runners use biking or swimming to help them stay in shape.  I, on the other hand, thought for a fleeting minute about training for a triathlon...then I remembered that I don't like to swim OR bike!  Some runners use an elliptical or stair stepper to cross-train.  I have access to neither of these pieces of equipment and I am too cheap to buy a gym membership.

So what is my preferred method of cross-training?  Dancing!  My parents put me in dance classes when I was about four or five years old.  I took ballet, tap, and jazz classes until 6th grade, when I quit to pursue other activities.  A couple years ago, I missed dancing so much that I started taking a tap dance class for adults!  When I was in high school, my senior Spanish class even learned the Michael Jackson "Thriller" dance and performed it at Prom.  I am no longer taking organized dance classes but that doesn't stop me from dancing around my house while doing chores or from playing the "Just Dance" game for Xbox!

Ballet

Pebbles Flinstone surrounded by...bunnies?

It may not be the most conventional way to get exercise when I am not running, but it is fun and so good for the body!  Some days, it is hard to work up the motivation to run and changing my workout routine helps keep things from becoming too stale.

I'm the one on the far left of the photo, in the green dress!

Me and Matt dancing at our wedding

I'm working on a special blog post featuring a special dance to be posted in a few weeks, so stay tuned for that!  In the mean time, check out this video made by children undergoing treatment at a children's hospital!



Remember, I am raising money for Riley Hospital for Children as I train for the 500 Festival Mini Marathon.  Thank you to everyone who has generously donated so far, and if you have not donated, please look at my personal fundraising page and consider donating.  No matter how small the dollar amount, every little bit helps to make sure that these amazing kids can continue dancing for years to come!
http://donate.rileykids.org/goto/staceydraper

If you can't fly, then run

I do not have anything deep or profound to say today, so I will let some of the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. do the talking for me.  I picked out a few of his quotes that I feel encompass the spirit of what I am trying to do by raising money for Riley Hospital for Children as I train for the 500 Festival Mini Marathon.

Have a wonderful day, and thank you for reading and for supporting this journey!  The link to donate to Riley is below--

Http://donate.rileykids.org/goto/staceydraper

 

#megsmiles

Today was a beautiful day for a run.  With the recent cold and harsh weather here in Indiana, 45 degrees and sunny was a welcome relief.  There were still sporadic patches of ice and snow along my five-mile route, but I was able to avoid them pretty easily.

One year ago on January 13, a women named Meg Menzies was out for her morning run when she was struck and killed by a drunk driver.  She had no way of knowing when she stepped outside that day, just like countless days before, that she would not make it home to see her husband or three children.

Today, a virtual run was held to honor Meg's memory and to raise awareness for drunk and distracted driving.  Runners are encouraged to take photos during their run and post them online using the hashtag #megsmiles so that others can be encouraged by the outpouring of love for Meg's family.

It is easy to be thankful for nice days like today and to complain about the grey and cloudy days.  However, today I am reminded not to take any days for granted.  Tomorrow is not promised.  Take advantage of all of your opportunities and be thankful for everything in your life, even those things that are hard to be thankful for.

I am convinced that Meg is watching down over us today, and that she is the reason for the unseasonably warm weather.  I read this on the "Megs Miles" Facebook page-- "Let all runners unite together and remember the loss of a beautiful spirit. It's not a coincidence the hashtag reads either 'Meg's Miles' or 'Meg Smiles.' She will be smiling on all of us forevermore."

Please remember that I am raising money to support Riley Hospital for Children as I train for the 500 Festival Mini Marathon on May 2.  You can use this link to donate. Thank you for your generous support! http://donate.rileykids.org/goto/staceydraper

Inspiration

I am usually a pretty intrinsically motivated person, but when it comes to running, sometimes I need something a little extra to keep me going.

Sometimes that comes in the form of something tangible ("When I finish this next race, I can justify buying a new pair of running shoes!"), but for the past year, my motivation has come in the form of a sweet little 3 year-old who lives over 2000 miles away.

In August 2013, I became aware of a social media-based group called I Run 4 Michael through a friend (you know who you are and why I can't say anything due to HIPAA :-)  ).  This group pairs runners with coaches/buddies with special needs.  The idea behind the group is that these awesome kids and adults with different abilities cannot run, so the runners are their legs and give them fun experiences that they may not get otherwise!  In turn, these buddies inspire the runners to push on through the tough runs and training miles with their tenacity, courage, and zest for life.

On October 8, 2013, I received my match!  I had just finished my longest run at the time (20 miles) as I trained for my first marathon.  I was so excited.  I had a buddy to dedicate all of my miles to, specifically my first marathon that was rapidly approaching!

Anthony was on my mind (and my shirt!) as I ran my first full marathon!

His name is Anthony, and he is almost 4 years old.  Anthony lives in Tracy, California, with his mother, father, and two older sisters.  Anthony has cerebral palsy and a movement disorder called paroxysal nonkinesogenic dyskinesia.  He can pull up to stand on his own and can cruise along furniture, but cannot walk (yet!).

I love communicating with Anthony and his family and sending photos back and forth.  I send him my race numbers that he puts into a scrapbook, and medals that he can proudly display on the wall in his bedroom.

Last May, there was even an article written about us in a local community newsletter!  Check out the link here.  The article begins on page 74.

http://issuu.com/tombritt/docs/geist_8bceba252d7224/1?e=1606101/7677330

 

I had the absolute pleasure of meeting Anthony and his family in September.  Matt and I flew out to San Francisco, CA, for a few days in order to meet Anthony.  I also had the privilege of pushing him in his first 5k, the San Francisco Aloha Run!  He has the true heart of a warrior and of a runner.  He laughed, smiled, clapped, and kicked his feet the whole time we were running!  He got to feel the rush of speed and of spectators cheering for him.  It was an unforgettable day, and one that I will cherish forever.

Anthony has challenges that I have never known, but he is overcoming them every day, and he motivates me to push through and be strong for him!  The strength I have to keep running pales in comparison to the strength he shows every day.  He is breaking down barriers with a smiles on his face, and the cutest giggle you have ever heard!

Please remember that I am raising money to support Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis as I train for my 10th half marathon, the 500 Festival Mini Marathon.  My goal is to raise $500 for this wonderful hospital who treats kids just like the amazing Anthony!
http://donate.rileykids.org/goto/staceydraper

Ode to the Treadmill

This is a poem for my treadmill and the love-hate relationship we share.

I hate the way your belt keeps turning,

but I just stay in place.

I hate the way I can't ever change you

to the best and perfect pace.

I hate how bored I get of you

and how you seem to lengthen time.

I hate you so much it makes me sick,

it even makes me rhyme.

I hate so much how loud you spin,

how loud my headphones must blare.

I hate it when your numbers taunt me,

and you don't seem to care!

I hate how the scenery doesn't change,

and the minutes seem to crawl.

But mostly I hate the way I don’t hate you,

not even close…

not even a little bit…

not even at all.

If this sounds familiar, you have probably seen the movie "10 Things I Hate About You."  I tweaked the poem from the end of that movie just a bit in order to serve my own needs.

All that being said, I do not hate my treadmill.  Is it boring at times?  Absolutely.  Do I prefer to be outside in the fresh air? I sure do.  However, the treadmill is a reliable friend that is always there for me when the weather is rough or when I need to work out when it is late (or early) and dark outside.  Any time I want to go for a run, I can.

For that, I am thankful :-)

Thank you for reading, and please check out my fundraising page! My goal is to raise $500 for Riley Hospital for Children before the 500 Festival Mini Marathon on May 2,
http://donate.rileykids.org/goto/staceydraper

My "motivation wall" next to my treadmill

Welcome!

Welcome, and thank you for your interest in my blog!

I have been a runner off and on since I began college in 2006, and have become more serious about it within the last couple of years.  At first, it was very hard for me to stay motivated to run and after a few gun-ho weeks, my determination would fizzle out and I would be left back at square one.

Running continued to intrigue me, however, as I was exposed to be it very often.  My father is a runner and more than one (or five) of our family vacations growing up centered on a running event (Disney Marathon, anyone?).  I wanted so badly to like running, and it took quitting and restarting about a half-dozen times before I finally "caught the bug."

I ran my first half marathon in 2008.  It was the 500 Festival Mini Marathon in Indianapolis, IN.  My dad ran with me the whole time (save for about miles 11 and 12, as we got separated) and my husband Matt (boyfriend at the time) also ran it as his first half marathon.  During that race, I was tested.  I felt immense highs as the supportive crowd cheered and clapped as I ran by.  I felt lows when my legs started to cramp, the sun was strong, and I was tired and dehydrated.  I "hit the wall" at mile 6 when I stubbornly refused to take any sort of during-race nutrition and had to run sluggishly around the Indy 500 race track.  I "bonked" again at mile 12 and thought that there was no way I could run the remaining 1.1 miles.  I pressed on however, and nothing can describe the feeling of crossing the finish line, having the medal placed around my neck, and the sense of accomplishment that came from that 13.1 miles.

Since then, I have run eight other half marathons, one full marathon, and numerous shorter races.  I have logged countless training miles both outside and on the treadmill, and even some biking miles when I was sidelined with injury.  The Mini Marathon will always be special to me, however, because it was my first half marathon.

After my first Mini Marathon with Dad and Matt!

Determined to crush my first 13.1!

This year, the Mini Marathon will be my 10th half marathon.  To celebrate, I am "running for a reason."  I am running to raise money for Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis, where I have worked as a registered nurse for the past four years in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.  I have always been a fairly healthy person and thankfully have never been hospitalized, but I imagine that my first Mini experience is similar to what some of the kids at Riley feel.  They experience ups and downs during the course of their treatments and stays at the hospital.  We treat kids from all over the state with both acute and chronic conditions, and the hospital is a non-profit hospital, meaning that a lot of our programs are supported solely from donations.

I have seen some of the most miraculous things in my time as a Riley nurse.  My goal is to raise $500 for the hospital that treats these amazing children so that they can continue doing great work for the kids.

Here is my personal fundraising page.  Please consider donating.  No amount is too small, and I can tell you first hand that the money will be well-spent!  And even if you cannot donate, prayers are always appreciated :-)

http://donate.rileykids.org/goto/staceydraper

Thank you for reading!