Well, maybe I won't drown after all!

So I have been training for a month or so now and I am happy to say that my swimming is improving a little bit each time! When I started I was getting water up my nose and I just could not get the breathing down. Now I can make it across the pool without having that happen as much...the thing I need to work on now is lung capacity and building up my endurance to swim continuously! Hopefully with some added swim practices during the week, I will get there!

I had the help of one of my professor's, Dr. Jeff Kress, from CSULB in fixing up my dad's bike. Thanks Dr. Kress!!! (I am sure you enjoyed me falling off the bike right in front of you on my first time clipped in with my new bike shoes! I am glad to say that hasn't happened again!) I got some slick tires and a new seat and got it ready to go. I have been riding it a bit and although I am usually the slowest because I don't have one of those fancy dancy road bikes, the training has been good. I have been told by many that they too started on a mountain bike for their first triathlons and after riding a bike like that, getting on a road bike will make you feel like you can fly! I have a feeling I may be spending A LOT of money on a road bike sometime in the future! I am enjoying this new world of cycling and learning more about it!

I am happy that I am up here in the South Bay now. It is gorgeous and I often run or bike along the coast in Hermosa, Manhattan, Redondo and down into Palos Verdes. Who wouldn't want to be outside enjoying that!!!

In a few weeks we have an all TNT LA camping weekend coming up at Lake Piru. It will be full of training and socializing with other triathletes in the LA area who are participating in Team in Training. I'm looking forward to it!

Again, I am overwhelmed by the support I get from everyone! Each day I get little white envelopes with donations inside of them to get me that much close to my minimum goal of $3,000. This will not only allow me to participate in my event, but it will mostly be benefiting cancer patients and research. Thanks again for all the support!

Beckie

I have just signed up to do a triathlon in memory of my dad!

As some of you might know, my dad passed away on April 1, 2007. When I finished my last TNT event, I started to think about what I would do next and a triathlon seemed to be challenging and exciting to try. So because my dad loved cycling and I have a new found interest in running, I am going to ride my dad's bike (pictured with him above) in the Nautica Malibu Triathlon on September 16, 2007 in his memory. I will be fundraising again for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and have a goal of $3,000. You can access my fundraising page at: http://www.active.com/donate/tntgla/TriBeckieTri I appreciate your support.

I DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Half Marathon #2...done!

The Nike Women's Half Marathon on October 22, 2006 in San Francisco

There I am about to cross the finish line with my TNT Mentor and running buddy, Cassie Dodd. We crossed the finish line at exactly the same time, beating our goal by four minutes. We ran the beautiful 13.1 mile course in 2:36. We were so happy with how we did...especially since this race was in San Francisco and in case you don't know about San Fran...there are A LOT of hills! Mile 6 was hard, and then 7 and 8 and 9 and 10 and 11 and 12 and by 13 the adrenaline just kicked in and all we could do is sprint to cross the finish line! Plus there was a lady we saw twice holding up a sign saying that they were running out of necklaces! Instead of a finishers medal, we were all graced with (even the 700 men who ran in the race out of the 15,000 participants) a Tiffany's necklace with a girl runner on it and the engraving SF 06 along with a Nike swoosh. The SF city firefighters were dressed up in tuxedos and Nike shoes holding silver platters with blue Tiffany's boxes on them at the finish line for us. It was classic! What a great event!

Ribbons showing all those who I ran for along with a picture of my dad and I.

Here are the firefighters!

My finishers necklace :) Cool prize, isn't it!?!

Thanks again for all the support! Team in Training was able to raise an amazingly large amount of money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society through this one event! What a difference we are making! Thank you!!!

San Francisco...Here I come!

The Nike Women's Half Marathon is around the corner! Only a little over two weeks left! I am so excited. I am feeling really strong and have made a lot of progress becoming a better runner. Who would have thought that I used to HATE running! Now it is almost meditating for me. I have enjoyed going down to the boardwalk in Newport and running along the beach with the waves crashing next to me. I pass by Blackie's and see all the longboard surfers that always gather there and then on to Newport El with the kids swinging from the bars on their playground in the sand. I go on www.mapmyrun.com and see how many miles I run and make new routes. Running 5 miles seems like nothing now!

Thank you to everyone who has supported me throughout my journey with Team in Training, both by donating and also emotionally. Running has been good therapy for me with everything going on!!! I will report back after my event with pictures and a recap of how things go! Wish me luck and I will be thinking of everyone as I cross the finish line on October 22nd!

:) Beckie

Happy 4th of July!

I just wanted to thank everyone for their contributions to my Team In Training fundraising. I am continually moved by all the support I get (especially the second time around) from friends and family...and friends of friends and even strangers! The money I raise goes to a great cause and is in honor of many people affected by cancer like my dad, Grant Burns.

This morning I ran the Huntington Beach 5k in 34 minutes. Not bad considering I used to hate running and last year at this time I had a cast on my foot watching the runners go by! I was glad to run in the race this year although it was VERY hot and humid! I hope everyone had a safe and enjoyable Fourth!

My new team...

The summer season 2006 of Team In Training has ended and I had a great time mentoring a group of women who successfully finished the San Diego Rock 'N' Roll marathon and half marathon and Alaska Mayor's Midnight Sun Marathon this past June. I trained along side them here and there but took it easy before my next commitment with TNT started, which is to train for the Nike Women's Half Marathon. I met my new team in May and started training and fundraising again. I am excited for the new season and my next TNT adventure! Thank you for all your support!

The next 1/2 marathon on the horizon...

Well, I am officially into this running thing now. I remember being on the soccer team in high school and having to do conditioning and hating every second of it. I always thought of my friends who ran track and cross country and thought they were crazy for loving running. But now I can see what they saw in it. If you have something to train for, then it makes it so much more bearable and even a little addicting! With that said, I have completed a 5 mile run and 10K run since doing my half marathon in Phoenix and plan on running the San Francisco Nike Women's Half Marathon in October 2006. I am currently mentoring a new set of marathoners with Team in Training as they train for the San Diego Rock n Roll and Alaska Midnight Sun Marathons. I am running more and more instead of walking and my foot hasn't given me any problems (yeah!). I will officially start training and fundraising again for the Nike 1/2 in May. I am excited to be part of such a great organization. Team In Training has been such a great experience for me and I look forward to staying involved with it! Go Team!