A Warmup is on the Way

I hear it's supposed to be in the mid to upper 30's for Friday thru Sunday. Wonderful news to be sure. I'm really tiring of the cold. My hands are always dry, my feet are always cold, ... spring, you can't come soon enough this year!

My list of bloggable items is quite long today. I may post them all, or I may save a few for tomorrow. (My) time will tell.

(I was given permission to post this) Some of you may know my friend and local runner Betsy Baartman. Betsy was diagnosed with breast cancer in November 2008. Her niece has formed Team Betsy for the Race for the Cure in Sioux Falls. Betsy is currently undergoing chemo and hopes to be there for the race. Here's the scoop:

Who: Team Betsy
What: Race for the Cure 1 Mile, 5K or 10K run/walk
Why: To raise money to find a Cure for Breast Cancer
Where: Avera McKennan Fitness Center Sioux Falls South Dakota
When: May 9, 2009

If you would like to join the race, click on the link: Avera Foundation and follow the steps under Register. The cost of the raceis $25.00. The first 5,000 registrants will recieve a long sleeved t-shirt, a nylon bag and other giveaways.

This is a great segue into our local event Lace-Up Against Breast Cancer 5K and Half Marathon on February 15 right here in Rochester. The money stays locally at the Mayo Clinic for breast cancer research. You can participate in the event or make a donation. (See website for more information) There will be a silent auction during the morning with lots of wonderful things to bid on: lots of 'pink stuff', USATF-wear, gift cards, food items (I'm donating a basket of cookies, 2 dozen cinnamon rolls, and my Cooking Light group is donating a meal). After the run, there will be a meal of Culver's chili, Great Harvest bread, fruit, and our beautiful, tasty homemade cookies. (Thank you again, Laura!)

Here's Laura's interview for the Post-Bulletin:

" A neighbor of mine growing up who was like a second mother to me has survived two bouts of breast cancer in the past years. Unfortunately she now has cancer all over and is not doing very well. She has faced this disease with grace and an amazing sense of humor. Her daughter was one of my best friends through junior high and high school and we are still close. It really saddens me that she is now facing the certainty of losing her mother and her children's grandmother. I think so often we feel helpless in these situations to do something for those we care about. Being involved in the Lace Up Against Breast Cancer Run is my small way of doing something positive that will hopefully lead to a cure one day." -Laura Lenz-

Here are other testimonials from some people raising money for LUABC:

"I have decided to increase my mileage and take on a new challenge! In support of my very dear grandmother who won the fight against breast cancer and also in support of the healthcare system I will soon be affiliated with beginning July 2009, I have decided to run the "Lace up Against Breast Cancer" half-marathon. This event will be taking place in my soon-to-be hometown of Rochester, Minnesota on February 15, 2009. I believe in my heart that if you choose to contribute to this cause, your gift will be greatly appreciated and used to benefit so many people in need. Thank you all for your support! " -Jenna Baune-

"I am hoping to run a half-marathon (13.2 miles) in May. To help me train, I want to run in a couple of shorter races. When searching for a race, I discovered the LUABC (Lace Up Against Breast Cancer) race in Rochester, MN. I thought it would be great to run in support of the many women who have faced this disease. When looking closer at the details of the race, I knew immediately this was the race for me. It will take place on February 15….my sister, Lilas, passed away from breast cancer on this same date 3 years ago. Please join me in the fight against breast cancer." - Ardis Denn -

Hope to see lots of you there for a fun morning and a great cause.

Want to test your wintertime 10K fitness? Or run/walk 5K (it should be warm enough to walk) for fun to raise money for childhood cancer research? Check out the Frozen Goose events on Saturday, February 7 at the University Center/Rochester.

RTC member Peggy Menzel and Steve DeBoer collaborated on an article about nutrition and healthy eating (they're dieticians at Mayo) which was published in the Post-Bulletin last night.

If you listen to the news at all, you must have heard about the salmonella/peanut butter problem. The product recall also includes energy bars that many of us might have in our stash of bars, mine included. A complete list of products being recalled is available at FDA . I have 3 CLIF products that are on the list. Check for peanut-anything ...

The February Running Room eMagazine is available for downloading. Page 3: My photo of the Torchia girls (Sarah and Kelsey) and their cute outfits at the Rochester Resolution Run. Page 13: 20% off coupon, good all month. Page 11: A salad recipe from me. All other pages: Lots of product reviews, race info, training info. Check it out!

Just a little bit of useless info ... Perry Bach, owner of Run N' Fun in St. Paul, invited me to be his facebook friend today. Way cool! I accepted, of course.

I've got lots of foodie stuff to post, and some triathlon stuff (I'm in!). I'll save that for tomorrow. So ya'll come back now? Hear? (Here!)

Quote for the day: "Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die tomorrow." --James Dean

Until tomorrow, friends.