and it still continues....

Hi all!

I thought I'd pick up where I left off... for those curious enough or bored enough to still be checking this blog. I'd still like to recall my marathon experience for posterity (even tho some of the details are admittedly a touch muddy now)... but that can wait a bit.

I've taken a small break from running since the marathon. I tried running regularly following the marathon conclusion, but the bad weather and my lackadaisical motivation made it less than happen. I went on a 7 mile run, then a 3 mile run, then 2 weeks off, then a 5.5 mile run, then a 13.1 mile walk, and since then... nothing. Oof, bad me.

BUT, it's not all over. Before Thanksgiving I applied with Team in Training to be a running mentor for their summer season, and they accepted my application in early Dec! I'll be a running mentor for the Race for the Roses run on April 6. It's a half marathon event in Portland.

And, don't be weary of me. I'm a non-fundraising mentor. I won't be sending out letters or baking more pie for now.

So... life goes on. Everything around mentoring begins this week too. TNT is recruiting right now for their summer season (which for the running team involves not only Roses, but the Rock and Roll marathon in San Diego in June or July or something. The other endurance events for the summer season include a century ride around Tahoe, and a tri out in Sunriver, OR).

We had our "mentor orientation" meeting on Dec 15, where we met the other mentors for the summer season. Apparently they are revamping the mentor program, and making the mentor's roles more involved, and also trying to make participating in TNT more fun and rewarding. So, it's kinda starting to feel like being a camp counselor all over again, but for a camp of "active adults."

Interesting.

As I was saying earlier today: it's been a long looong time since I've heard the pro and con aspects of puffy paint discussed seriously. Gah!

A couple of observations from the orientation...
(1) Race for the Roses was the biggest "event" of the summer season with 10 mentors (half walk half run), even tho we have the smallest fundraising minimum per participant and the shortest training period.
(2) the walk mentors and run mentors really didn't inter-mingle. V. segregated.
(3) of the 4 Roses run mentors present, there were two very... um... super-mom looking ladies with flawless hair and makeup, and very outgoing attitudes, and then there was Greg and me. You know, single, younger, more interested in running and the social aspect of group training than the other parts of the TNT mission. I mean, I think it's WONDERFUL to be active in an organization that works to cure cancer... but that's admittedly not my own personal drive for being there. I want to be a part of it, I'm proud I'm helping... but I don't have my own experience or personal hero. I can't write a captivating story about cancer to help motivate others.

Anyway, enough musing on how unsentimental my reasons are.

Recruiting for the summer season begins this week.

January 3, 2008 - 6:30PM Summer Season Informational Meeting Northwest Natural Headquarters One Pacific Square - 4th floor 220 NW 2nd Ave
January 5, 2008 - Noon Summer Season Informational Meeting Lucky Lab Beer Hall 1945 NW Quimby St.
January 8, 2008 - 6:30PM Summer Season Informational Meeting REI 1405 NW Johnson St.
January 9, 2008 - 6:30PM Summer Season Informational Meeting Lucky Labrador Brew Pub 915 SE Hawthorne Blvd.
January 12, 2008 - Noon Summer Season Informational Meeting Lucky Lab Beer Hall 1945 NW Quimby St.

I have to attend some of these. Basically we'll be looking to tell people about TNT's mission and possibly give some personal testimony about how amazing the experience is... and maybe sign new recruits up!

After these sessions, hopefully I'll be saddled with my own gaggle of 8-12 mentees that I get to mold in my own image... or rather communicate regularly with and encourage and monitor their progress. I'm supposed to do some fun team-building stuff to help make them feel special and "looked after" as it were, so I'm still brainstorming on the subject.

... I suppose pet rocks are a bad idea.

But, that's the news from this neck of the woods! Hope everyone had a great holiday season!!