Training is a GO!

So, I slacked on blogging because I got injured, but, I am back on the grind! I have Disney's Expedition Everest in May, Nike Women's 1/2 Marathon in October w/ TEAM IN TRAINING (GO TEAM!), and Rock N' Roll Las Vegas in December (to celebrate my birthday!).

I am so excited about the races I have already signed up for and can't wait to sign up for more! And of course I am still fundraising with TEAM IN TRAINING for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society for the Nike Women's 1/2. I've got some new compression sleeves from Tommie Copper (check them out in the post below!) and I am ready for my training to start back up!

Hello running shoes, I've missed youuuuuu! <3

Tommie Copper Compression Sleeves!

Hey everyone! 


Earlier this week, I received a calf compression sleeve and ankle compression sleeves from Tommie Copper and I want to let you know what I think about them! 


First, when I opened the package I notice how extremely lightweight they were. Not that compression sleeves are every heavy, but these are definitely thin so it had me wondering. The material is amazingly soft and the top of the sleeves have an elastic band that will keep it from moving with you're running, playing sports, or working out. I liked that because I have had issues with other sleeves sliding down during an intense run. Once I put on the sleeves, I realized that not only was the material soft, but super thin as well. I sweat a lot when I work out/run, so to have a something that thin on is so nice. Now comes the real test; how will it feel during a run and after?


Well, if you know me, you know that I suffered many stress fractures a few years ago and my legs have never been the same. Compression sleeves and other braces are what have gotten me through most runs, but this time it felt even better. These sleeves are so smooth on! I didn't feel like I had thick socks on my legs, I felt like I had a thin compression sleeve that was there to do its job and not get in my way. What a relief! The thin material allowed air to still circulate around my leg and ankles and prevented extra sweating, the elastic band kept the sleeves in place, and the compression pressure was just right for me. I kept them on for a few hours after my run and when I took them off, I only had a small amount of pain. I am always going to have pain in my legs regardless of what I do, but I could tell a difference in the level of pain when wearing these compared to others sleeves, socks, and/or pants. If you're looking for an amazing sleeve, check them out for sure! 


Their website will up in a couple weeks, but go ahead and go on over to sign up for updates and they will notify you when the site it up and you can purchase their products!!


Tommie Copper



Also, go LIKE their Facebook page and follow them on Twitter!


http://www.facebook.com/tommiecopper
http://twitter.com/tommiecopper




I am a life-long Tommie Copper girl! Love them! 

My inspiration.

If you know me..you know how important music is in my life. It's what I've wanted to be a part of since I was a little girl. When I was 17, I met Andrew McMahon w/ his then band, Something Corporate. That concert changed my life. I followed Andrew's carreer and SC split up for a while and he formed Jack's Mannequin. During JM's album production and tour, Andrew was diagnosed with ALL, a type of Luekemia. When he released his documentary, "Dear Jack," it was another moment in my life that would change me because of Andrew. If you haven't seen it, please do. It shows you the real process of what these patients go through...every aspect of it. I cry everytime I watch it....he's one of the people I admire most and his music is what keeps me going every day...so I know that the least I can do is fight to find a cure for this awful disease.

“my name is andrew mcmahon, 22 years old, i play for two bands one’s called jack’s mannequin one’s called something corporate...and err, i am now officially a leukemia patient.”

Up to date...

It's been a week or so since I posted...but I promise I am going to get better at this! January turned out to be much crazier than I thought it would be! But now things have calmed down and it seems like I will get a chance to play catch up on my blog! I've been working on a video for this site and I am hoping to finish it in between school work over the next week. Also, the Disney Princess 1/2 Marathon is this month! I'm so excited. I am not running this race, but I will be volunteering at a water station throughout the race. This is my first season with TNT and I've never ran races before this, so I'm stoked to be involved in any way I can. It's going to be such a blast out there supporting my teammates and fellow runners. I even got my mom to sign up to volunteer as well! I'm not sure she is excited about getting up in the middle of the night to head over to Orlando to be at a water station at 3 A.M., but she'll get over it. :) I'm also still fundraising! I'm hoping to get to $2,000 before my recommitment on March 3. If you're not part of TNT, recommitment is when we commit to finishing the fundraising process and turn in the amount that is needed (mine is $2,700). If we don't earn the money through fundraising, we have to pay it ourselves (if we recommit). I'm at $1,134 right now. I can't afford to pay $1,600 out of my own pocket, so I'm praying to get more donations over the next month before recommitment and then more after that to reach my goal! I've got 3 different 50/50 raffles starting for February and also a gift basket being put together to be raffled too. You don't have to live close to me to participate. If you'd like a ticket/info on any of the raffles, don't hesitate to contact me and I will get you the info and even mail you tickets for the raffle(s). So, spread the word! If you want information, please email me at Kbrrooke@gmail.com OR RunningForACure@live.com. Also, my fundraising page is http://pages.teamintraining.org/ncfl/cmc11/KaleighAnn . I hope everyone has an amazing week! GO TEAM!

The reason I run!

I train, run, and raise money for every cancer patient, but this is the man that started this journey for me. He is the father to whom I consider my second mother, Mrs. Robin...




Mr. Richard Hoffmann...who is currently fighting lymphoma. <3

Re-inspired.

I have been having issues lately with staying inspired enough to push myself through all of this. I keep reminding myself that this has nothing to do with me and running, this has to do with the money and awareness I am raising throughout the process...ok, it is a little bit about me and running, but for the most part, it is not about me. This morning, my friend's mother got a phone call that she is now cancer free! She has been fighting lymphoma for a while and recently finished her second round of chemo. When i heard this news, it call came full circle for me. This is the kind of news I am running for. This is the kind of news I am raising money for. I know how much it means to me to hear her news; I can only imagine how it feels as her children and family. I have been re-inspired this week and come up with quite a few new little projects to help raise money. God has blessed me and I need to remember that. :)

Pity Party...table of 1.

This is what I feel like...and have been feeling like and will probably continue to feel like. I have been discouraged about fundraising for a few weeks now and it isn't getting any better. People always have an excuse as to why they can't donate, but then I hear/read about them spending money of frivolous crap. The people that have said they were going to support me, spread the word, and ask their friends/family haven't come through one bit. Someone actually even owes me donation money for a product I made that I haven't received and probably won't. I don't want to quit TNT because it is something that means a lot to me, but I'm pretty sure I am going to be giving up my 1/2 marathon. I'm going to try one last effort and see if I can get people to donate things for a yard sale or see if I can get businesses to donate things for a raffle. If those flops too, then I'm not sure what I am going to do other than just sit down and have yet another pity party. I am very sick of trying to do good and nice things and all I get is crapped on. I have a tumor of my own that affects every aspect of my mood, body, life, ect. and I can't even go to the doctor because I go to school full time, have a 3.5 gpa, and don't work. BUT, if I were to not work, not go to school, pop out a few kids, and maybe even handle some illegal things, the government would send me straight to the doctor for free; probably even give me money for food and housing, then I'd really have it made! But no, I am trying to better myself to make a good life and I can't go to the doctor and fix what is wrong with me...and I'm not even raising money for myself to go to the doctor! I'm raising money for OTHER PEOPLE to get the help they need and support their families while they battle cancer. I'm not asking for myself, I'm not being selfish at all...yet people still don't get it. I don't have a ton of resources to exhaust when it comes to raising $; it's limited, but I know there are more people that can give that haven't. I am so beyond discouraged.

Ahh, Friday!

So, I am working on a video for this blog and hopefully I will have it up by the end of the weekend; it is currently taking the backseat to a ton of school work. Anyways, this weekend is the Disney Marathon! How exciting is that!? I, myself, am not running it, but a lot of my teammates are, both from our Central Florida chapter and a lot from all over the country that I have met through Facebook and Twitter. Since this is my first season with TNT, I haven't experienced the excitement of an event like this yet! I am hoping to be out there bright and early on Sunday morning to cheer on TNT and all of the runners. What events are you looking forward to in 2011? Are there events you can't attend but want to? Which ones? Let me know...I am trying to learn about as many new events as I can since I am so new to this! Also, I signed up for the Gate River Run in Jacksonville in March. It is only a 9k, but it should be a great run! A few friends of mine from GA are coming to run it as well. Good times w/ good friends! Happy weekend everyone! 

Pain in my...leg.

If you know me, you know I suffered from quite a few stress fractures all throughout my legs in 2006. It is something that has been holding me back ever since. The worst one was in my right tibia; you can still feel the dip in my bone if you run your finger down it. I had them in my left & tibia, left femur, and my left cuneiform (tiny bones on top of your foot). It hurt, to say the least...and they still hurt. Sure, they have healed, but the pain is still there and when I run, I feel them even more. I stretch and stretch, yet my muscles still get tight around my shins and I often have to stop to stretch them out. Will it ever stop? I hope so. I do warm ups, stretches (before and after walking/running), and use ice...any suggestions for calming this pain down and help with the tightness? 

My Cape

Hello! If you're reading this, you know I have been training for my first half marathon, The Country Music Marathon, on April 30, 2011 with Team In Training which is part of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Each member has to raise a certain amount of money to be able to compete in their event with the team. My goal is $2,700.00. Fundraising is coming slowly but surely. I know it is all in God's hands and honestly, this isn't about me and the race, this is about raising money for cancer patients. Honestly, I didn't even have the money to join the team back in October when I did. I had to come up with $50 to join, and well, I didn't have an extra $50 laying around so I prayed. It had been laid very heavily on my heart to do this and finally I told God that if this was something that He wanted me to do, then open the doors for me and I would do it. The day after I prayed, I checked my paypal account, which I never do because I never use it. What do you think I saw? $50.00 account balance. I checked all my transactions on there and there was NO reason I should have that $50 in there, so I took it as God's "Go Ahead!," and transferred it into my bank account and joined Team In Training. 

Now, they say, "Not all heroes wear capes," and while I do believe that, I don't see myself as some sort of hero, cape or not. I see myself as someone just trying to raise money and awareness for these cancers because I know if I did this horrible disease, I'd want someone fighting for me too. The real heroes are the patients that get up every morning and continue to fight these cancers and push through. I complain (to myself) whenever I am out running/walking/doing intervals, but then I think about how blessed I am to even be able to go out and run, so then I stop complaining and push through. I wouldn't and couldn't do this without them. They are what make me train, diet, run, sweat, and raise money. These patients are my cape; they are what help me get off of the couch and go outside, even if I only do a mile. So, I won't train with a cape that others can see and identify me with, instead I will proudly train with an invisible cape that holds every name of every patient, past, present, and future to remind me of why I am doing this.

"The only thing harder than training for a marathon is not being able to at all."