DONNA recap - Day 2

Saturday, February 14

Forget the fact that it was Valentine's Day. This was THE day for the fun to REALLY get started. Most of my ambassador friends were off to downtown JAX for the 5K. I got a little bit of a reprieve sleeping in before heading over to the start of the DONNA 110. Y'all - that's 110 as in 110 MILES to be run by these amazing runners!


Only 6 people had the GUTS to toe the starting line that fine morning. Three sisters: Kelli Smirnoff, Carrie Neveldine, and Heather Jones-Proctor, as well as  Christian Lisowski, Dave Krupski, and Tim "Salt Shack" Purol. Dave was tapped as the frontrunner, having been the only finisher of the race the previous year (although one other runner would have finished if conditions hadn't gone to black, as she was 3 miles from the finish). I got a chance to chat with Dave before the race started. Here's a bit of what we talked about (paraphrased, as I stupidly forgot to record the conversation):

K: How did you get into running ultras?
D: back in 2009, Boston filled up really quick, so I was looking for something else to do. Ended up registering for the North Face 50 in San Francisco, which I ran in December 2010. Since then I've run 15 races over 100 miles
K: What is your plan for the race today?
D: Average about an 8mm pace for the first 30 miles. Aiming to finish the day between 13 and 14 hours. Hoping to get a full night's sleep before the marathon start tomorrow (at 7:30)
K: What is your fuel plan for an ultra?
D: Easily digested calories, so mainly liquids.
K: What advice would you give to someone considering getting into ultra running?
D: Slowly build up miles in training, just like you do for a marathon. In a race, just keep going - it's not like a marathon where minutes count. You can recover from a bad moment in an ultra.

Dave was so humble and really open to talking about running. But it was getting time to get started on that trek of 110 miles, so he headed over with the other runners to line up for the start. Salt Shack showed up about 2 minutes before the "gun" so he missed out on the pre-race photo op. But my favorite is the nonchalant nature Christian had for the start of the race - check out the video!

I got a chance to see the runners a few times throughout the day up at basecamp, set up by RD Caleb Wilson. This great set up allowed the runners to refuel after each 6.7~ mile loop, use a REAL bathroom (seriously, people, you don't realize how much of a luxury these things are as runners), and get out of the sun, even if only for a few quick moments.  If you really want to know about how the race went from a runner's perspective, check out Dave's recap of the race (a spectacular read in my opinion!). I would have loved to see them all throughout the day, but there was another event I needed to head off and get ready for.

We were invited to dinner at Mayo, for a "state of the research" sort of dinner. My favorite part, as a giant science nerd, was the tour of the labs where Dr. Edith Perez and her team are working on genomics to better understand and treat cancer. And somewhere in that lab, the cure is waiting to be found! I was also really excited to hear about the work they are already doing around other cancers and know that this is cutting edge, leading research being done because of our fundraising support. Every dollar makes a difference and leads to some significant advances. One of the ambassadors joked that he wanted something in the lab named after him for the donations he helped raised - me, I just want to keep supporting this amazing race and this amazing foundation for the work that is being done at Mayo. Yeah, the food was fabulous - scientifically determined to be great pre-race fuel for runners - but the highlight of the day for me was listening to Dr. Perez tell us about the continued research being done and hearing from one of the women who has been supported by the DONNA Foundation as she has undergone treatment for breast cancer. THIS is why we do it! 

It was a great day, but tomorrow was the main event, and it was time to head to bed and get some zzz's before the big day.

Oh yeah - while we were off dining on yummy food and enjoying company of amazing doctors, the DONNA 110 folks were STILL RUNNING! Dave was the first one in, managing to hit his goal of 13:26 for the first ~85 miles, including a stop at Lynch's Irish Pub for a quick (read: 5 min in and out) beer. He had a PR for the 50 mile distance - the man is INCREDIBLE!

On Sunday, I caught some of the finishers after the race... needless to say, they were exhausted, hungry, and ready for a shower!

The reason we all do this craziness - whether a 5K or the monster 110 miles - is to get us #CloserToACure. You can help us #finishbreastcancer - consider making a donation today.

**As I previously mentioned, if I hit $1000 by the March 31 fundraising deadline, I'll sign up for another 13.1 in honor of DONNA (I'll pink out my outfit like I did for the race) and YOU can help me choose the race!

DONNA recap - day 1

I found DONNA HQ

It was some awesome to be an ambassador this year for the race! I had to make sure I made myself available for all the ambassador fun because the Social Media Butterfly had BIG plans for us!

I ended up heading down to Hilton Head/Bluffton on Wednesday to stop in and see my parents. Got in a great little run through the neighborhood Thursday morning before I left for Jacksonville. It was chilly and breezy, but great for a few quick miles. I was keeping an eye on another ambassador's incoming flight so I could pick her up at JAX. Holly had made the trek all the way from Washington state and I wasn't going to let that girl spend too much time at the airport. I scooped her up and we were off.

Hey look what I found at HQ!

 One of the things I love about being an ambassador for this race is getting to know the other ambassadors and their stories of what brought them to DONNA. Holly is a survivor and had the amazing pleasure of going on one of Jeff Galloway's Greece trips, where she met Chris Twiggs, one of the DONNA board members, and the rest, as the say, is history! Holly is so positive and full of light and it was great to spend bits of time with her during the weekend. I agree with Chris Turner that next year we need to all be able to stay in closer proximity so we can hang out more and get to know each other! Holly had a series of flights bringing her cross country, so she was ready for a nap and a shower after I picked her up, so I dropped her off at her hotel and went the DONNA Headquarters to meet up with the Social Media Butterfly herself to see how I could help out.

We headed to an event at a local school before saying goodnight and getting ready for the fun in the morning - what I'm really calling "Day 1" - the Social Shakeout Run!

Must. Have. Coffee!

Marcia scooped me up and we were off early to Lillie's Coffee Bar to get ready for all the runners and CELEBS! Yes, running royalty was on their way to our party. Joan Benoit-Samuelson, Jeff Galloway, Dave McGillivray, Alana Hadley, and of course, Donna herself. It was great to run with Jeff and his wife Barbara for a bit - Barbara even gave me some awesome reading recommendations! It was definitely cool to start the morning, but after a quick 4 miles, it was feeling warmer and we all hesitated to go inside.

I spy Dave McGillivray

But soon enough we were inside the coffee shop enjoying our hot coffee and yummy pastries and some amazing conversation with people. Seriously - this was THE event to be at for the weekend. Little did I know that the DONNA 110 Champion was also in our midst - humble Dave Krupski, who I met briefly since I knew I would be covering that race starting the following day.




We had a great morning to start the festivities, and then Krissy and I were off to the expo to grab our bibs, check out all the fun vendors, and maybe see a glimpse of the Butterfly in action! The expo was full of great vendors, and so well organized. We got in a got our bibs really quick, then had some time to really explore each aisle and see the vendors we wanted to see - did someone say CHOCOLATE FOUNTAIN?!?!?! - then we were both SOOOO hungry, that we headed off for some off-site errands and lunch at Pei Wei.

About that time, it was time to start getting ready for our fabulous evening at One Ocean, a sort of cocktail hour affair for the "VIPs" and a chance to really see all the ambassadors (well, most of them anyway... we did have some stragglers. Life gets in the way of fun sometimes on race weekends). This was a super fun evening, and while we had planned to go out for pizza afterwards, most of us were so stuffed from the awesome buffet, and exhausted from the amazingness of the day, we ended up heading home. Needless to say, we had a good time!

I'm still aiming for my total fundraising goal of $1000 - needs to be "in the bank" by March 31. And I've committed to run another 13.1 in honor of DONNA if I meet that goal - you can help me choose! To help us continue to race #CloserToACure, please consider donating.

#GivingTuesday - why I support DONNA

As you know, I'm a 2015 ambassador for the 26.2 with Donna race in Jacksonville Beach, FL.  I was first introduced to this race by my #CorralG sister, Social Media Specialist for the race, Marcia Barton.  She is PASSIONATE about her hometown race, and a fabulous ambassador for the race.  But it was in reading Donna Deegan's book this weekend that I really came to know and love the namesake of the race and get fired up about fundraising again for DONNA.

Through Rose Colored Glasses: A Marathon from Fear to Love is Donna's second book about her third - yes, THIRD - bout with breast cancer.  Donna Deegan was a local news anchor in Jacksonville who was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1999.  Before being diagnosed a third time in 2007, Donna and her oncologist, Dr. Edith Perez, hatched a plan to create the nation's first marathon solely dedicated to breast cancer.  100% of proceeds go to the cause - 70% to research done at Mayo Clinic under Dr. Perez's brilliant direction, and 30% to supporting local women undergoing treatment.  Donna's second book chronicles her struggle with being diagnosed a third time while planning the inaugural event.  It also shows how she incorporated meditation and alternative medicine to help shift her perspective on cancer and life in general.

Since it's inception, 26.2 with Donna in partnership with the DONNA Foundation has raised over $3.5 million to help finish breast cancer.  I loved how Donna explained the shift in her mindset and in the focus of the race from fighting to finishing.  In her own experiences, she realized that living with the fight mentality made living with cancer grueling.  She also recalls losing a dear friend to cancer, and finally feeling fed up with the fighting mentality.  A few weeks later at a board meeting for the race, Donna proclaimed that it was time to start talking about "finishing breast cancer" - not fighting it.  The idea of being part of an organization that is honestly working to finish breast cancer - donating such a significant portion of proceeds to research with the nation's leading team in the field as well as helping patients live their lives while undergoing treatment - is an honor and a blessing.

As I mentioned in my first post about becoming an ambassador I, like Marcia, like Donna, wholeheartedly believe that Dr. Perez and her team, with the support of the DONNA Foundation and the 26.2 with Donna race, will find a cure and finish breast cancer IN OUR LIFETIME!  And the hopeful part of this for me is that this research will unlock our ability to finish all cancers.  This is a cause I am passionate about too.  And I ask you, on this #GivingTuesday, to consider making a donation and helping us, as a team, #BeTheFinish.



For more information on 26.2 with Donna, visit www.breastcancermarathon.com.  Interested in joining us?  Use my ambassador code, "AmbLove15" for $10 OFF - and don't forget to tell them Katie sent you.
For more information on Dr. Perez and her work at Mayo, check out this bio.