3 Days! Thank you!

3 Days until I run my first MARATHON!!! And a HUGE "Thank You" to everyone who gave and donated to Girls on the Run - YOU have raised $264 for Girls on the Run! And guess what? I have another month to collect donations...so if you still would like to motivate me in training and support a wonderful afterschool program - click here: http://www.active.com/donate/SoleMates2010/SarahPerry

Training has been going really well - last Saturday I ran 20 miles, so I hoping that an extra 6 won't be too hard. I'm looking forward to actually being in the Marathon environment with bystanders and hundreds of people running with me!

Training for the marathon and looking forward the race this Sunday has kept me distracted from the rest of life and the fact that I am basically finished with my undergraduate career at West Virginia University, and I graduate in 2 weeks! How did graduation sneak up on me?

And in exactly one week, I’ll be celebrating my 22^nd Birthday – so there is a lot to look forward to.

Today I’m going to visit the third through fifth grade girls who take part in the Girls on the Run afterschool program. I’m excited to meet all of them and let them know what a source of encouragement and motivation they have been to me in training.

Also another HUGE “Thank You” to the Rotary of Morgantown – who I also had a chance to speak to and meet with today! Thanks to all of the amazing people in Rotary, I am able to study internationally next year and continue on in my education! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

20 Days...

Missed a few days blogging, but NOT running :) Now we're down to 20 Days till the Marathon, and thanks to e-mail, I've been getting daily reminder e-mails from The Flying Pig Marathon coordinators...

#20 - Become addicted - to Endorphins. Endorphins are the body’s natural feel good chemicals, and are released through exercise. Endorphins are defined as hormone-like substances that are produced in the brain and function as the body’s natural painkillers. During exercise, endorphins are released, and can produce a general state of wellbeing!

Inspire and Donate

Day 24 Inspiration: One of my favorite quotes is, "A dream is a goal with a deadline". I have wanted to run a marathon ever since I ran my first half marathon 2 years ago - so I knew I had to set a deadline. Lists are also one of my personal favorite forms of motivations and productivity! So make a list, dream, create a few life goals, and set that deadline. Make the most of every opportunity, of every day...

Day 23 Tip: Every true runner goes through at least one pair of running shoes a year. So what do you do with all of those extra running shoes? DONATE them! You can donate your old running shoes to a good cause - to children in other countries, for various recycling efforts, etc. Research ways you can donate your old shoes - and for those in the Morgantown area - donating your old shoes is as easy as dropping them off at MorgantownRunning on Holland Avenue in Westover - just across the Westover bridge from Downtown Morgantown.

For more information: http://morgantownrunning.com/news/

REST.

Day #25 - One of the reasons I never wanted to run a marathon was because I feared a rest/cross training day. Some of you think this is crazy, you LOVE to rest and do nothing, but my fellow running enthusiasts understand. I thought I would be more in shape if I ran everyday, but I was wrong! In reality, the body actually needs rest days to recover and repair muscles to get stronger.

I learned that taking rest days give your joints a chance to recover. And not to mention, resting gives you a mental break from running. And it's true, I feel more motivated to run when I take a day or two off every week!

Resting from running also taught me that lifting weights and cross training is a lot of fun! So, good news - every once in a while, it's okay to be a couch potato!

Banana!

Counting Down - Day #26 Tip

Eat a Banana! With just over 100 Calories, this super convenient fruit provides you with nearly 35% of your daily value of Vitamin B6, nearly 20% of Vitamin C, and 15% of Potassium! And keep you fuller, longer, just one Banana, packs nearly 15% of your daily dietary fiber!

Not to mention that Banana's are super affordable and easy to eat on-the-go! And no worries, if your Banana's go bad - you can just make the most delicious Banana Bread. Here is a recipe:

Banana Bread **add nuts for an extra kick of protein** or substitute all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour to attempt to make this treat a little more healthy**

• 3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 cup sugar (can easily reduce to 3/4 cup)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.

Happy Easter

Happy Easter! Hope everyone had a great Easter Sunday, filled with yummy food, and sugary Easter candy, plus the GREAT reminder of Christ's resurrection from the dead and His saving grace. I was reminded of Christ's constant pursual in our lives, He is always calling us closer to Him and loving us everyday! What good news!

Marathon Training Continues - Long Run on Sunday, and my legs feel like Jello :)

Tip #27 - When you lack in motivation and need a little encouragement, draft a running buddy, or someone who can ride their bike with you and keep you going! **Thanks Mom for riding your bike with me today**

28 Days...

http://www.active.com/donate/SoleMates2010/SarahPerry

April 3 - 28 Days 'till Marathon - Next 28 Days of running, donating to Girls on the Run, and updating the blog with fun tips...

28 Days Left Tip: When you don't think you can run any more and your lacking in motivation, just download some new songs for your iPOD or reorganize your songs and make a new playlist! Instant Motivation. My new favorite, inspired by the Final Four bound Mountaineers: "Morgantown State of Mind".

Running for "Girls on the Run"

I decided to run the Marathon for Charity - Read ON and GIVE - it's easier than running 26.2 Miles - I promise!

GIVE - Help ensure a positive future of young women in Monongalia County, by giving to Girls on the Run, while I pursue an individual goal of running my first marathon!

Since 7^th grade, I have run cross country and I love everything about running! For years I have wanted to run a marathon, but have found every excuse not to. So, finally I decided to “just run!” and as I prepare to run my first marathon, I thought what better motivation to keep going, but to not just run a marathon for me – but to do this for other young women and for a cause and program that I am very passionate about – Girls on the Run.

GOTR - Girls on the Run educates and prepares girls for a lifetime of self-respect and healthy living! Girls on the Run is a non-profit prevention program that encourages preteen girls to develop self-respect and health lifestyles through running. Girls on the Run is a life-changing, experiential learning programs for girls age eight to thirteen years old. The programs combine training for a 3.1 mile running event with self-esteem enhancing, uplifting workouts. The goals of the programs are to encourage positive emotional, social, mental, spiritual and physical development.

26.2 - I plan to run the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati on May 2, 2010. My goal is to raise at least $262 for Girls on the Run. That means, just 20 people to commit to giving just 50¢ for every mile I run in the 26.2 mile marathon.

If you would like to give to Girls on the Run and motivate me in training and running – just go online @ http://www.active.com/donate/SoleMates2010/SarahPerry and make a donation or just make a check for $13.10 payable to Girls on the Run – and send it to me at: 94 Terrace View Drive Morgantown WV 26508, no later than April 23.