As I was signing on the line, I thought: there’s no going back now.
Then they gave me these things that are like purple leg warmers except for your arms. When someone gives you sleeves, there’s REALLY no going back. Yes, I am wearing them right now while I’m writing this blog. I need to keep my muscles warm so I don’t pull something lifting this stack of paperwork.
I am now a member of Team in Training (I’ll pause here so you can add a “woo-hoo!”).
My first run-in with Team in Training was a purple blur. I was running my very first marathon when a pack of violet-clad runners passed me. It seemed like a hodge-podge group of people… strange they were all dressed alike. And I kept seeing them: the silver-haired couple jogging with a smile (who smiles in a marathon?!), pony-tailed girls in purple shorts, a woman with a shaved head. That’s when I realized they were more than a running group.
Team in Training raises money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. In 2008, more than 40,000 participants raised $85 Million. If imitation is the best form of flattery, TNT should be blushing. Since 1988, other non-profits have copied their successful model. Each participant is required to raise a specific amount of money (for the ING, it’s $1800). The group trains together in the months leading up to the run. TNT provides coaches, direction, and fundraising help.
As a runner, you just can’t ignore TNT: they’re everywhere. I finally jumped on the wagon this week for a simple reason: they asked.
A Team in Training staff member read my blog on the Zooma Run, and asked me to sign on with them for the ING Georgia Marathon. I ran it past my producers and… voila! Here we are. Me and my purple sleeves.
In the next four months I know I’ll meet amazing people, log hundreds of miles, and probably suffer a few blisters. But marathons always bring the unexpected. I hope you’ll join me for the ride. I’ll be posting frequent updates here on 11aliveblogs.com. You can also follow me on Twitter: @JulieWolfe.
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This is part of a web report series. I run local 5Ks, 10Ks, half marathons (perhaps an occasional full). You can follow me on race day on Twitter @JulieWolfe. I’ll post my race reviews on 11aliveblogs.com. E-mail me with ideas for upcoming races: jwolfe@11alive.com.
This Sunday (11/8/09) was year two for the Zooma Atlanta, and it’s quickly becoming one of my favorite races. Zooma is a women’s race series that now includes Austin, Denver, Annapolis, and Atlanta. Brae Bradley started the series to empower women to live active, healthy, happy lives. Men are allowed (even encouraged) to join. But there’s no hiding it: this race is all about girl power.
COURSE: There is a 5K (more about that later) and a Half-Marathon (which is what I ran). The 13.1 mile course starts at Atlantic Station runs through downtown to Turner Field and ends back at Atlantic Station. This course shows you a true Atlanta: the good, the bad, and the ugly. You run by the Georgia Dome where you can smell tailgaters getting ready for the game; neighborhoods that are breathing life back into the area around Centennial Park, and Atlantic Station: proof you can turn a brownfield into a destination. But you also run down Trinity where homeless are huddled with pillows in empty doorways; around potholes that mark most of the course; and a leaking water pipe (what’s more Atlanta?!). It went by fast for me and I enjoyed the run, finishing in 2 hours, 4 minutes.
For the 5K review, I consulted by co-worker and first time EVER 5K runner, Duffie Dixon. The night before, she told me her goal was to finish ahead of one person: “even if it’s a little old lady”. She said the 5K course was great, the volunteers were awesome. Her only complaint: “I really wish there was a porta-pottie on the course.” (Her finish time was under 40 minutes.)
FOOD: It seems like lots of local races are stingy in this area: Not the Zooma. They handed me a fancy chocolate (can’t tell you what it was because I ate it already) at the finish line. They had bananas, apples, and other regular race gear. Panera Bread was a sponsor, so you also got an awesome breakfast sandwich and fruit salad. Runners care about the food (even if they tell you they don’t), and this was as good as I’ve seen at any recent race.
Oh! They also had Luna Sport Chews on the course. I never tried these before and figured “why not?” They tasted good, but were SOOOO chewy and sticky; I tossed them away after one chew. I was still trying to get it out of my teeth when I passed a race photographer; cannot wait to see those photos!
T-SHIRT: Pink, short-sleeve, wicking-material running shirt. It has a cute logo with a peach that kind of looks like a heart. This is clearly, a “girly” shirt; which reinforced the “girl power” feel.
CROWD: It was small enough that it wasn’t crowded, and big enough that there was always someone behind me and in front of me. AKA: perfect size. The course was spotted with mostly men cheering on the mostly female runners. Sons, husbands, boyfriends, and spandex-lovers were cheering runners when they passed. Perhaps the only drawback to this race: very few spectators along the route. Water stop volunteers were your best source of encouragement.
Next Up: Thanksgiving Half-Marathon. See you there!
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Well, busy has become an understatement for me since school started. I asked my mom to post this for me because I am having a hard time finding the time. School has been great but exhausting as I try to adjust to things. I can say I love it and did not realize how much I missed it. I had to take all of my end of year examines for 10th grade in 2 days to show the school I did keep up when I was homeschooled. I did well on all of them, thank God. Practice was going great until I got a horrible sinus infection I have not been able to go to gym since Monday, that upside down motion is killer. I miss it and am afraid I will be behind in my new skills when I go back on Monday. It is amazing how much being out a week (when it is due to sickness) can effect the performance you were just beginning to master when you left. Work is great, homework is, wow, lots. I am keeping up but by Sunday I am exhausted and want to nothing all day. I am going to my first High School football game tonight, I can’t wait. Thanks for listening. Starting Monday I will be posting the happenings at the gym now that we are all back in full swing and getting ready for the competitive season, except Bekkah, she had her ankle surgery last Thursday and is doing great, everything went awesome and she is on the road back…good luck Bekka. Thanks again, for following us we look forward to bringing you an exciting season here at GASG.
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It has been 5 years since I went to regular school. I have homeschooled through my entire middle school grades and up until this year for high school, so frankly I don’t remember what to expect. But I do know that I am not entering the year as I had planned. I was to be a senior this year, work for the athletic scholarship, go to the senior prom, and well remember what it was like to sit in a classroom, take tests issued by a teacher and reports completed by a predetermined deadline. However, I will be entering school as a Junior. A decission that did not come lightly. You see I had already been speaking with college scouts about my pending graduation and option of scholarships, now I must go back and explain to them that I have chosen to be a Junior in my senior year. After carefully looking over what it would take for me to graduate, as the school did not accept all of my homeschool courses, and the load that I would have to carry I realized my entire senior year would be spent between school, homework and gymnastics (not even time to work) and the gymnastics would be hit hard as I put in the late nights on the quantity of homework I would most likely have. So despite the fact that I will be older then, well pretty much everyone in my class, and the fact that my college qualification will be delayed, I feel this is the right choice for me. I will still have a heavy load this year but not nearly as heavy as it would be as a Senior and it will give me more time to enhance my gymnastics skills which will give me more opportunities. So off to school in a real classroom with real teachers and classmates I go on Monday morning…wish me luck, I’ll let you know how it goes. Until then, flip open a book, get into the pages and dream as the story unfolds….
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Most of you probably do not know this but I have been homeschooled for the past 5 years, so that I could focus on my gymnastics, and I have done pretty well in my studies, 3.8 gpa. I decided that going back to school for my senior year would be good for me, get used to being in a classroom again, reports, more of a mandated schedule for assignments and enjoy the social scene. Well I met with the counselor back in May and they let me know the studies I would have to complete to meet the requirements to be a senior. The problem is that they would not take all of my homeschool credits, so I would be required to a) take classes during this summer, which I did and still carry an incredible load for my senior year. That, with the hours in the gym and work, would have my senior year with more work then I have had to do throughout school, NOT what I was looking for in going back to regular school. This does not mean I do not want to work hard or that I am looking for an easy ride, I just don’t want to have all hours of all days completely marked for work and practice and that is what it will turn into, I would miss out on the fun that your Senior year should be. So what to do? Well I gave it a lot of thought and then realized I needed input from my family for this one, so I went to my brother Adam, who is a lawyer in NY, my parents, my brother Todd who lives down here (the one that was hit by the car) and we all sat down and discussed the options and what I wanted. The end results….
That I will tell you about tomorrow…until then happy days, fun times and great memories
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This is part of a new web report. I run local 5Ks and 10Ks (with an occasional half marathon). You can follow me on race day on Twitter @JulieWolfe. I’ll post my race reviews on 11aliveblogs.com. E-mail me with any ideas jwolfe@wxia.gannett.com.
The Southeast Brain Tumor Foundation’s Race for Research is a cause that hits close to home for our 11Alive family. So, when Meteorologist Chis Holcomb and Anchor Ted Hall sent out an e-mail asking the 11Alive crew to participate in Saturday’s 5K, it was an obvious choice for my next race.
Atlantic Station has quickly become a go-to place for new in-town races (or older races looking for a new location). Just remember to bring money for parking. I forgot my wallet, so I ran straight from the finish line to my car. I drove it out of the parking deck, and then made a U-turn right back in. That way, I got the 2-hour free parking twice.
COURSE: 5K (3.1 miles) around Atlantic Station. Because the start line is on low ground, the first mile is mostly uphill. From there, it is a series of short hills. Very little of this course is flat, so it’s a little harder than I anticipated. I ended up chasing Fred Kalil for the first two miles. His red shirt was easy to spot and continued to mock me until I finally passed him in the final mile. There was also a 2K for walkers and strollers. Most 5K’s do draw a lot of walkers, but it takes a while to finish 3.1 miles at a stroll, so I thought the 2K was a great idea. There is a tough spot where the 5K runners jog across the 2K walker route, and it gets a little dicey. The walkers were good sports, though, and tried to stay out of the way and cheered the runners as they cut through.
FOOD: When in doubt, stick with the basics. The bagels were fresh; the bananas were not brown; and the PowerAde and water were cold. There was plenty to go around, so two thumbs up.
T-SHIRT: bright blue cotton T-shirt with a SBTF logo and lots of sponsors on the back. As a runner, I always prefer technical running T’s, but I know these are too pricey for most small races. I generally donate all my running T-shirts to the local homeless shelter or turn them into cleaning rags. This one is nice enough, I might wear it. . . just not running.
CROWD: while waiting in line at the porta potties, the man next to me said he ran in the SBTF race 5 years ago with just a few hundred people. I would estimate Saturday’s crowd at well over 1,000. We had a great showing of 11Alive folks, so that was a lot of fun (I’m taking the picture, so I’m not in it).
UP NEXT: Still looking for some August road races. Any ideas? E-mail me at jwolfe@wxia.gannett.com.
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Well not that all of you know but my brother was hit by a car about 5 weeks ago, it was rough for a while, his surgery was postponed, then he had complication during surgery (lost a lot of blood and had to have transfusions). Well he finally went home, started feeling better and looking forward to rehab and counting down the next 7 weeks. Well yesterday my sister-in-law, yes his wife, went riding (her bicycle, they both race) to relax and get out some stress and well, some jerk left his dog out loose (a dog known for biting and chasing people) and the dog ran after Cheryl and attacked her while riding. 911 was called, the blood was everywhere, the punctures (from several bites) were so deep they had to xray her to be sure no teeth were embedded in the leg. She now has the full radius of the dogs mouth clearly framed on her thigh. But here is the best part, the guy swears the dog is not his, even though he has a chain in the yard for him and a shelter and the dog ran right to him and he took it in the house after the incident…nice that is showing us kids how to act responsible. He was cited for dog at large and having a dog without vacinations, yes he has no shots…so it is a wait and see if the dog gets sick. He is in quarentine for 10 days and then his fate will be decided. The sad part is it really isn’t the dogs fault, it is those that choose to train them this way and then not retain them in the proper manner on top of it. So now we have 2 of them unable to get around and their 3 month old son, being so great through it all…so my other news will wait until next time as I take all this in, which all happened while I was away on my summer gym retreat. We did have a blast and I will post a pic or 2 to share with you…have a great day and I hope you come back to join us for the season….best to everyone.
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School starts in about 2 weeks, I don’t know about you but summer has just gone by so fast for me. Between work, training, work (yes I meant to say work twice) and life, I feel like May was only yesterday. Well I am ending my crazy summer on a fun note, we are headed to TN, all 30 of us plus our coaches for our option team retreat. I can’t wait, it has been a fast yet long summer. With my brother’s accident things got a little crazy, he still has a long road to go for recovery but each day is a little better, gym has been tough as I missed several days of practice for work, my brother and illness, not good for working on new skills, but after the retreat it is back to getting more serious and no down time (except Sunday that is, or maybe not I still have to work). Well I will post pics and let you know about the fun we had in TN. Then I will let you know about a huge decission I made that effects every aspect of my life and the direction I am headed…until then stay well, be happy and enjoy each minute of each day…very profound don’t you think….later gator…
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With summer coming to a close, just a few weeks until school starts, I look back to see what has gone by. I breathe, I look and I am amazed at how fast time goes by. I feel like summer had just begun and now I am looking at the start of school, the beginning of the gymnastics competitive season (compulsory only) and the realization of time limits that are approaching. My floor routine, my beam routine, my new skills on bars and vault….it has been a whirlwind of a summer, mixed with some personal heartaches and the bumps in life that occur throughout time. I hope you all had a great summer and wish you all luck in the up coming school year. I look forward to sharing my journey through my first year back in a classroom, my quest for a college scholarship, my emotions and excitement of competition and the overall craziness of life. Until next time, have a great end of summer, enjoy the freedom of each day, and create great memories throughout each moment of life.
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Sorry I have been away so long, between working 2 jobs, my brother’s accident and gym practice it has been a little crazy. My brother is doing
better, he had a bit of a setback, his staples got infected and they had to cut open his incision to drain the infection. The he had a hematoma
in his leg. He has his ups and downs with his emotions so we all work real hard to keep his spirits up. Gym has been going really well, working
on cutting my floor music with my mom, which I hope to get finialized this weekend. Been playing Chuckee at work lately, which is kind of fun.
Getting ready to register for public school, this will be the 1st time in a classroom in over 5 years, exited and a little nervous at the same time.
I also had some exciting news, I got a car, yeah, no more sharing with mom, which wasn’t so bad at least I had a car most of the time. But now
I have my own, and a very empty bank account to show for it. Well I will be back more often now that things are smoothing out at practice is
more intense. Have a question, just ask away and I will be sure to respond…have a great day and a great week.
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I love the Peachtree Road Race. It’s the only 10K where you can get doused by holy water, win a T-shirt, eat a donut, do the disco, wave an American flag… and still finish in just over an hour. For 55,000 runners, it is a 4th of July tradition.
As I was sitting in my 5’s group, waiting for my chance to run, I glanced up and saw that huge American flag at the start line. The sun was shining and I was standing shoulder-to-shoulder with my fellow runners, my fellow Americans. I got a little teary eyed. This is why I love the Peachtree.
It’s not about the finish time, it’s about the experience. If you keep that in mind, you will learn to love this 10K like I do. Kudos to the Atlanta Track Club for pulling off another amazing race.
COURSE: 6.2 Miles from Lenox Mall to Piedmont Park. Even though the hill at mile 3 has gained a reputation as “heartbreak hill” and “cardiac hill”, it only goes up 150 feet in elevation. I don’t think this tough reputation is earned. The combined mostly-uphill run through mile 5 is what gets you. But then it’s downhill to the finish line! AND everyone was thrilled to be back at Piedmont Park this year after the drought re-arranged the 2008 race.
FOOD: The food was better than I remembered from previous runs (maybe with Publix as a sponsor? Not sure if that was new this year). I especially appreciated the ice cream sandwiches and the volunteer that yelled with a smile, “Have a cup of nice warm water!” since the gallons of drinking water had been sitting in the sun all morning.
T-SHIRT: Good design. Glad to see it was white and not some crazy lime green or peach.
CROWD: Awesome crowd. Seven different bands along the route were a blast. I always love giving high-five’s to the kids lining the sidewalk. I think the crowd is THE defining factor that makes this race so much fun!
UP NEXT: The Southeast Brain Tumor Foundation’s Race For Research Saturday July 25th 7:30 AM Atlantic Station. Follow me on Twitter @JulieWolfe.
This is part of a new web report I’m starting. I’ll run local 5K’s and 10K’s (with an occasional half marathon). You can follow me on race day on Twitter @JulieWolfe. I’ll post my race review on 11aliveblogs.com. Know of a local race you want me to run? E-mail me at jwolfe@11alive.com.
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My brother is still in the hospital due to bleeding complications he will need a blood transfusion, so we will have to wait and see what happens
over the next couple of days. He is holding on to his spirits and really looking forward to going home. His pain was really bad yesterday and for
some reason just didn’t get under control but he is much better today (as far as the pain in concerned). Once his blood count gets back to a safe
level, they will try to get him up again and get him using the crutches. I have some other news to tell as well, but that will have to wait until
tomorrow..stay well all
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My brother’s surgery went very well, they say he should make a full recovery, although that will take a long time. He did have excessive bleeding
during the operation so they are going to be watching him real careful for the next 24 hours. He is in a lot of pain, but glad it is over and he can
now look towards the road to recovery. It was a long night as I stayed at the hospital with him, but it was good and I was able to be there when
he woke in the middle of the night and just needed someone to talk to. I am home for a little while and then going back to see him later tonight.
He needed some rest after the surgery. I will keep you posted on his progress and then back to focusing on gym and my skills, he would not
want me to loose any more gym time for this. Thank you everyone for their prayers and support.
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I spent the day at the hospital with my brother Todd today awaiting his surgery, which was pushed off until tomorrow, Friday, June 26th. He
was in good spirits most of the day, although he says he is a bit scared about going under even more then the surgery. We watched Twilight, played
cards and just talked. He had a lot of visitors and got a lot of fruit baskets today, the chocolate covered strawberry’s were the best. They say that
he won’t be able to put any weight on his leg for about 10 weeks. I am glad that I will be able to be there for him like he was for me back when I
broke my leg. I will be spending the night at the hospital with him so that he is not alone, because Cheryl, his wife, has to be home with their son
Preston, who is only 12 weeks old. My mom and dad will be here tomorrow morning before the surgery as well as Cheryl and I. Thank you to
everyone who has visited and for all their well wishes…until tomorrow..have a good night. See his stories on these links.
http://www.forsythnews.com/news/article/2806/ and http://www.atlantabike.org/node/1165
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The summer has been somewhat uneventful, work, school, gymnastics, family time and time with friends. But yesterday life became eventful.
My brother, who lives in Cumming, GA was hit by a car while out for his morning bike ride. The driver either did not see him or something, the
driver was sited in the accident. My brother, who races bikes and was to carry the tourch for the 1996 Olympic tourch relay. Never saw it coming
As he was making a turn the driver rear ended his bike and sent him flying. You see my brother has been an inspiration for me. When I broke my
leg he was the one I talked to, because you see hit was hit by a car in 1996, the night before he was to ride the tourch, an event that changed his life,
so he knew what I was going through or about to go through emotionally and physically, I had no idea if all of it would change my life, and he did…
thank you Todd. I am hoping now that I can be there for him as he moves forward in his recovery, you see he broke his hip in 3 places
and they are deciding today if they should do a hip replacement, try to pin in back together or what. So the operation should be today or
tomorrow, depending oh how his body is from the trauma and if his body is ready for it. Well off training, because he would not want me to miss
that, and then work….Thank you to my friends as they kept my mind off things with a TWILIGHT PARTY….thanks everyone..
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