Day 9: #Sharingstreak John Mark and Karin Sloan

John Mark and his wife Karin on Halloween this past year. Their children were the Very Hungry Caterpillar, the Very Beautiful Butterfly and they were the fruit the children had eaten through. I love creative costumes!

John Mark is my husband Matt's cousin and he and his wife have been long-time supporters of my running with Inheritance of Hope. They are doctors at Boston Medical Center and they sent a message to me through Facebook sharing their support for Inheritance of Hope and why John Mark is a specialist in Oncology.  

"Hi Leslie-

In college I would go to church each week and try to figure out which direction my life should take.  Every week, different members of the congregation would request prayers for their friends and relatives with cancer.   One day,  it occurred to me that God was using this to  literally tell me what to do with my life.     My work as an oncologist at a hospital that serves predominantly poor and vulnerable patients is the result of that calling.    My wife Karin works at the same hospital.   Cancer patients who are parents of young children have problems the rest of the world can’t even bear to imagine.    You are running for a good cause."

--John Mark Sloan

I'm so grateful for this message! It was such an encouragement to me in the middle of this running streak and attempt to raise money for families with terminal illness. 

We are once again at the end of the #sharingstreak! I'm always excited to see who will answer the call and decide to jump in to have their story known and shared. 

Will it be you? Click here to make a donation! 

Day 8: #SharingStreak Michelle Bailey

Michelle Bailey's Father who served in the Air Force for 20 years. He is currently surviving with Leukemia. He has also had cancer in the prostate and melanoma. What a survivor!

Michelle Bailey is another neighborhood friend of mine. Her son and mine hang out together and we all get to play on fun snow days!

Michelle always posts inspirational items on Facebook that make you think and encourage you too look further into the world. I have come to find out that is because she has been profoundly impacted by cancer through the fight that her father has been through. A 20-year veteran in the Air Force, her father is currently surviving with Leukemia. He is also in remission from cancer of the prostate AND melanoma! SHEWWWEE.

Here is Michelle's story:
The person I am honoring is my dad, Rick Bailey. I am honoring him for his service in the Air Force for 20 years. He is also an inspiration and an example of pure strength. He was diagnosed with Prostate cancer first and then Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML), then with Melanoma. Prostate was removed and given a clean bill of health. Then the CML, it is chronic, so it is a continuing illness. He is on a chemo pill where it has brought his blood levels back to normal! PTL! The melanoma was removed and again given a clean bill of health. He has shown nothing but strength through all of it. He is "living with leukemia" because you cannot say he is cured from this. My best friend Jessica has been a huge strength to me. Her mom died from cancer a few months before my dad was first diagnosed. I called her crying and she told me she'd give me five min to feel sorry for myself and then I had to suck it up and be strong for my dad! She was right in everything she said. And my God has been someone I can talk to, cry to, and ask why to. I know He will give me the guidance and strength I need to help my dad with what he needs. Psalm 138:3: "in the day when I cried out, You answered me, and made me bold with strength in my soul." I want others to find hope and strength in the knowledge that God is there, he is listening. He has a plan, and He will heal, either in the flesh or in the Heaven where there is no more pain. Don't be afraid to be afraid, everyone is allowed to. But show support and strength to your loved one who is in need of it. You are to be there for them, not them for you! My pump up song is "Oceans, Where my feet may fail", or "Amazing Grace, My Chains are Gone."


I am so thankful to all of you!
I am now 1/3 of the way to my goal for the Marine Corps Marathon and the #sharingstreak is now in its second week!

I love hearing everyone's stories! It is so good to learn so much more about my friends and their hearts.
Let's keep it going! 

Click here to donate:
Inheritance of Hope

Final Marathon Pics

I finally downloaded the actual marathon pictures so I thought I would share them with you.

There is nothing like giving yourself a month to digest this huge thing you did. Look back at the pictures and realize how incredibly awesome it was.

Yes, I felt like crap for 8 miles. But that was nothing in comparison to the greatness of the overall marathon. I can't wait to do it again.

I finally understand why you would want to do this again and again. And also why you would never want run again. But I have learned so much just in reflection. How could you not want to try that again? Just to learn what you are made of and how God wants to whisper to you that you are His FAVORITE just cause you said yes to this big epic thing?

Let's go. Only 340 more days until I can get back there!

I'm going to do my best to narrate what I think my thoughts were at these points during the race:

Mile 7/8: FEELING AWESOME AND TOTALLY KNOW THE CAMERAS ARE THERE. I haven't seen one person I know, but I feel like the world is cheering me on. 

Somewhere on First Avenue. I just ran straight past Matt and the kids. Didn't get to say hi and it crushed me. This has to be around mile 17. Just a short 10 miles later and I feel like death has crept inside of my back and is starting to get ahold of me. I know I only have 10 MORE MILES TO GO. Wasn't a great time in my life. Head down and trying to work through it. 

I want that photographer to die. You can see my tummy starting to bloat. It's not a good sign. BUT--EMPIRE STATE BUILDING IN THE BACKGROUND. So that's pretty awesome. 

Just more miles. This race is endless. 

The start of mile 18/19. I walked up that bridge. Then-NO LIE, I saw the photographer and it was downhill, so I started running. 

We are coming down 5th Avenue. The barricades are up and it is the final three miles. It is close and SO FAR. I just ate an orange from someone on the street. In New York City. WHAT AM I THINKING? Which is what I then thought over and over in my head as I dry heaved in Central Park bushes just a mile later. Cool.

My sister and Matt were staked out on Mile 25 right next to the photographer. Like could touch his camera. This was the best I could muster. I felt the darkness closing in. I told Matt I was going to die. Shellie (my sister) shook a cow bell at me and Matt told me to die later. LOOK AT MY EYES. I'M DYING. Like Lance Armstrong at the end of the Tour de France on Alp d'Huez. This was ridiculous.

This was my final mile. I felt like I was alone in NYC. It was so cool to think about being escorted by the police. Check them out. FINAL MILE.

AWW YEAH. Profile Pic to beat all profile pics.

But there's another photographer and I'm 500 yards from the finish. So pumped. Imaging Jesus and all the saints welcoming me home. LOOK AT EVERYONE'S FACE! JOY! EXULTATION! 

FINISHER. I didn't die! I LOVE THIS! 

I puked behind that blue thing. And felt a whole lot better. As you can tell. 

I really do love running. LOOK AT MY FACE! I felt the embrace of so many people, Jesus and the joy of having accomplished this race. It was so incredible. 

 This was truly one of the most joyful things I've done in my life. I can't wait to do it again.
I'm trying to figure out my race schedule for the Spring, but you can be sure that I'm running more and more than ever.

It doesn't have to be running. But find your passion and let Jesus speak to you deeply through it. Let others see Him while you are loving what He made you to do it! GO. NOW! He will help you find the time, money and ability if He wants you to do it.

"There are many creative ways to cultivate interest in the Gospel by displaying Christ's love. Often the most natural expression flows from doing the things we love." --Becky Pippert (Out of the Salt Shaker and Into the World)

Run the Mile You're In-QUICK RACE RECAP

A few bullet point pieces of advice that I heard before the marathon:

• Don't walk around the city too much. You'll leave your best miles while sight seeing.
• Be careful with food and drink. It's easy to get distracted with the city lights and sights. 
• Stick with the plan you made before the race. Don't let race day emotions get the best of you. Stick to the plan. 
• Run the mile you are in. Don't get ahead of yourself. Don't think about the past. Just run one mile at a time. 

Well. I botched all of that. 

I didn't know it at the time. 

I thought I was being careful. But in retrospect, I walked WAY too many miles in the city. I drank hardly any water (compared to at home). On race day, I threw away my water bottle at the start. I planned to carry water with me for the first 10 miles because I didn't want to fool with the water stations. But I got jumpy and tossed it.  The last bit of advice I had to follow: run the mile you are in. Only during the last 6 miles of the race. Because I had no choice. 

When you know you hate water stations and you don't really sweat in general, it's a bad idea to throw away a water bottle. And a really bad idea to not drink anything for the first eight miles of a 26 mile race. That's what I did. I was so focused and so happy to be running, I just RAN! And didn't drink anything. 

NYPD Police Helicopter just being bad a** and doing its thing. I had to stop and take a picture. 

I saw Matt, my sister and brother and the kids at mile 8 and was thrilled. The crowds were amazing! It was incredible. I was booking and feeling good! I left them and kept trucking and took a gu. It hit my stomach like a ton of bricks. I realized then I might be a in a little bit of trouble. I started looking for water stations and for people handing out bananas. My calf started cramping a little. Not a big deal. But worrisome. 

I kept on going, started hitting the water stations and taking on gatorade. 

We went through some awesome neighborhoods in Brooklyn, then hit Queens. Went across the bridge into Manhattan which I was so looking forward to. Mile 16. It was supposed to be the highlight of the race. Literally your "fastest mile". 

I was crashing. I was looking for my crew of supporters and only saw them after I passed by. I was so sad. I saw the Inheritance of Hope cheer crew on the other side of the street and couldn't get over. 

Any juice I had in me was gone.

I took on another gu and my stomach started cramping. 

I made it two more miles to 18 and couldn't go anymore. My legs and lungs were fine. But I was bent over with back spasms. This has never happened before! 

I walked for a minute or two and then people started yelling at me. "Leslie-let's go!" "Run for HOPE Leslie!"

Yep. They got a picture of me suffering. And that guy NOT suffering. 

I picked myself up and kept going. But slowly. Everytime I came through a water station, it killed my momentum and I had to stop. Stretch out my back and take a minute. Then classic New Yorkers would start yelling at me again.  I ripped off the pace wristband I was wearing to encourage me to finish in 3:40. That was long gone.

So I got going. 

But then I hit Central Park. Mile 24. 

I really thought I couldn't go anymore. I stopped. One girl running actually hit me on the back and yelled at me "You're a charity runner?! Get going!" I mean-New Yorkers are no joke on how hard they are on you. 

Right after that, a kind man looked at me and said, "It's okay Leslie, walk up this hill. Who cares? You're going to finish." 

That's when I started running again. I ran past a women who literally was passed out on the course and I thought, "That seems like a solid option right now." Sleeping instead of running with pile of bricks in my stomach. 

I ran through the Mile 25 marker and saw my crew again and just stopped. Told them I was going to die. They told me that was ok. Then told me to go finish. One woman next to them remarked how I wasn't even sweating! This is a clue that something is very wrong with you. 

I picked it up and just ran without thinking or even looking around. I just wanted to be done. 

All of the sudden around Columbus Circle the magical signs started showing up 1/2 mile to finish, 400 yards to finish, 200 yards and everything was splayed in blue and orange and people were all running to the finish and I thought to myself, "What if this is what going to heaven is going to be like?"

Kinda awesome with the motorcycle cops behind me. 

And it hit me: 

You don't get a say in how your final days are going end. 

My friend Amy didn't get to determine her end. Neither did our friend Jay Whitaker who died last weekend. This race brought me so close to understanding that it doesn't matter what those days look like.  I was so disappointed to not end the race in triumph and joy and with ease like I had planned and hoped for. How much is that like Amy and Jay? 

As I was rounding the turn, the Rolling Stones song "You Can't Always Get What You Want" was playing. Which has been my theme for this whole race. And it has never been more true. But I got just what I needed to finish. 

With Jesus we all get to finish. We all get the medal. But we don't get to say how it goes. 

That's the race. 

Of course, when I get to heaven, I hope I don't throw up endlessly once I cross the line in a fit of dehydration. 

This was after I threw up a few times. I felt a lot better. Then I felt a lot worse. Then better after I threw up some more. Awesome. Finisher. 4:17:18. 30 minutes after I wanted. 

I think I'll go for a run today

PowerBar Run from Ryan Lawrence on Vimeo.

"The marathon is a charismatic event. It has everything. It has drama. It has competition. It has camaraderie. It has heroism. Every jogger can't dream of being an Olympic champion, but he can dream of finishing a marathon." -Fred Lebow, New York City Marathon co-founder

I'll see the finish line in a few hours!

Oversleeping: Daylight Savings Time-1 DAY!!!

Tomorrow is the race!
I can't believe it. Shellie and I ran a great 5k this morning and I got to shake off some nerves while helping Shellie set a PR. We had a great time together.

Now, Matt and I are heading into the city for some pre-race time with Inheritance of Hope and then the race tomorrow. Of course, the time changes tonight and everyone I meet brings up this super famous episode and clip from Seinfeld.




I will NOT OVERSLEEP. I will be at the start on time and get this thing going.
I swear. :)

See you tomorrow. It's RACE DAY. Just a reminder, the race will be nationally televised on ESPN2. If you want to see what all the fuss is about, watch Run for Your Life on ESPN2 tonight. It's a documentary about Fred Lebow and the NYC Marathon. It is so inspirational and will make you want to run this race next year. I swear!

I'd Like to Be a Bird, But if Not-I'll Be a Runner-4 Days!

My friend Dusty sent this video to me as inspiration for the race.

And I loved it so much I had to share it on here. Just watch him climb those trees.
 And, I want a cabin in the woods like that.


He said "Just think of all those dreams lined up before a race..."



4 DAYS YA'LL!

Track Your Runner-5 Days!

The New York Road Runners have officially released the application in the iTunes and Google Play store that allows you to track runners on race day. So if you'd like to add this app to your phone, you can play along at home and watch my progress:

New York Road Runners Link

Also, here are directions if you want to watch the race live. It is going to be aired on ESPN2! Starting at 9:00am nationwide! WOOHOO!

New York Road Runners Tune In information

Also there will be a finish line camera on the New York Road Runners page that you can watch me try to finish the race. I am hoping to cross anywhere from 1:35pm to 2pm. So that is a good window of time to hang out in front of the computer if you are into that kind of thing. If you track me on the app-you will know FOR SURE when I should cross.

My bib number is 25206 and I am registered under my full name so that should make it easy to find.

(last year's commercial)

Support Your Marathoner-7 DAYS!

One week until race day! I've been reflecting on my last race and for sure, the hardest part of the Asheville City Marathon last month was the fact that there was no crowd support. No friends. Matt had to drag our kids out of bed at 6:30 in pajamas to get them down to the race. AND he had to bribe them with Bojangles (he wasn't sad about that).

Crowd support is HUGE to a runner. 

I've been running by myself for nearly 16 weeks now. On race day, I'm not interested in doing that any more. 

But it is a big deal to ask friends and family to take on the expense of going to NYC to cheer me on. Check out what ASICS is offering! 

It's called http://www.supportyourmarathoner.com/ 

You go to this website and you can enter my bib number. When I cross a line, it will automatically trigger a video or picture message from YOU while I'm on the course! Isn't that cool? 

Here is a video about it:

I don't know if any of you will do it, but it would be a HUGE surprise if anybody does!

Another cool detail of just how big and awesome this race is. They think of the coolest things that add value for runners!
My bib # is 25206 and I think that's all you need! www.supportyourmarathoner.com

Week 15! 8 days left!

Now THIS was a tough week.

I got in a car accident on Monday. 

I had a run scheduled every day. 

My kids have two teacher work days AND my husband is out of town all week. 

AND the marathon is so close and I really don't HAVE to run but I need to run to maintain my fitness and to not lose my mind. 

The taper has made me super twitchy. 

I've been trying to watch what I eat, drink and focus on every single little activity I do.

Which will make you pretty mental if you let it. 

And so I tried to rest while I wasn't doing all the stuff you can read above. It was challenging. NO DOUBT. 

But look! I ran. And I thought I wasn't running that much and then I turned around and somehow cranked out a 33 mile week. Somewhere around Thursday I was pretty cranky about running a lot of miles still. But I did it. Thanks NYRR training plan. 

Somehow this week I ran 6 more miles than last week and about hour more. This adds up. In a real way. 

I mean. This is a lot of time running. And this is just one week. Somehow I have made it through 15 weeks of this. I can't believe it. And now I am into the FINAL WEEK.

Which means I get to wear this shirt every day:

YAY! It's marathon week people! 

NYC Playlist-9 Days!

Some people have been asking, so here it is.

The playlist.

I have it on Spotify  so you can see it there and listen. For free. Here it is: SPOTIFY


<< SIDEBAR >>
Have I mentioned my love for Spotify? I doubt that it will work for the marathon with 47,000 + spectators all trying to use their phones, so I am going to play it safe and have all these songs preloaded on my phone.

But WOW. Spotify. It's a game changer. Especially for Young Life leaders. $10 a month and you don't have to pay for music? That's just crazy.


Anyway, here is the playlist.

It's all jacked up in the formatting cause it's meant to go in a CD case.

I decided after listening to Spotify for the last two weeks to add about 40 songs to the playlist that all my donors gave me. The little changes will give me a boost and these songs are ALL fun and surprising to me even know. I have been changing playlists as I have gone along so I wouldn't be too bored with my music.

Also, I don't even know IF I will listen to much music during the race.
All of the blogs I have read suggest not running with music that much because the environment surrounding this marathon in particular is not one to insulate yourself from with your own music. But just let it go and enjoy the whole day.

I plan on doing a little of both. Enjoying the environment but when I need to refocus and get my pace back on track--plugging in and getting after it (perhaps when I'm feeling really tired).

We'll see!

Clear As a Bell-9 Days

It's been fun to run for a charity and to realize just how many people are running for charities. In fact, one of my Young Life girls from back in the day is running for a charity in the race and we will get to see each other in NY! She will be traveling all the way from California on behalf of her team. I can't wait to see her.

The charity aspect of the marathon helps make all the training and dedication worth it because you realize that you are running for something much bigger than yourself.

Before, I wanted to run for me. Because this was MY goal. MY thing. What I wanted to do.

Now? It's because it's something that God wants to use in my life to show me how he cares for ALL walks of life. This is something much bigger than myself.

I love this video because it gives the vision of a runner in NYC and having a heart for the city. Which I definitely do. As I have run, I have found the solitude and quiet that I have needed on a daily basis. I sure could use the time having my "quiet time" being in the Bible but I am sure of this--I have never prayed more or been in deeper conversation with God about life and those I love than I have in the past four months. This time has been so rich for me. I have surely grown because He has run every single mile with me. Or I should say, I have run every mile with Him.


Craig Mayes NYC Marathon for the NYC Rescue Mission from Kensington on Vimeo.

Five Boroughs-Isn't Enough

Asics | 5 Borroughs from Real Productions on Vimeo.
Five boroughs isn't enough! I'm so excited!
Today is our travel day and we made it to New Jersey! Onward to New York tomorrow for the expo! YAY!

Can Almost Taste It-10 Days

10 Days. 10 DAYS. 
That's a week and a half. 

I was running yesterday and I remembered how intimidated I was by all of the days of running I had ahead of me when I started. 
And here I am. 
A week and a half away from the race. And the training is completed. I am simply running every day just to keep my body loose. And to look forward to the race and the finish line. It made me think of this verse.

"I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize"… Philippians 3:13

In my life with Christ, I have not achieved anything worth noting. I have to press forward, forgetting the past and look forward to what lies ahead.

 In my life with running, all I have done is trained. Which is an accomplishment however-IT IS NOT THE RACE ITSELF. Just the preparations. 
It's almost enough to make you exhausted. Is it all for nothing? NO WAY. The race is the best part! With God and in reality. It's the easy part. There is refreshment, people cheering you on, music, adrenaline. It's also when all the training gets puts to the test. And you have to further than you ever have before. You have to go the distance. 

"But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:31

And everyone wants to cross the finish line. 
Even those who haven't put in the training. Or been prepared for the race. 
We have to work up to the idea that we CAN do this. 
Check out this video:

ING NYC Marathon Week from Infinite Media on Vimeo.

If you can get the idea that YOU CAN get to the finish line, then you will want to start the race. 
It's an idea that builds. ING knows that. New York Road Runners knows that. Jesus knows that. 

Let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. Hebrews 12:1

Find Your Strong-11 Days!

I love this video for showing how amazing Central Park is.
The connection between Central Park and Asheville isn't as much as stretch as it might seem.

The same landscape architect for Central Park, Frank Law Olmsted-designed the grounds for our famous Biltmore Estate which happens to be one of my favorite places to run AND is home to my favorite race in Asheville, the Biltmore 15k. And the Asheville Marathon (which also takes place on the Biltmore Estate) recently announced that Inheritance of Hope is going to be their charity partner in race in mid-March. *Cue the spring marathon plans*


Find Your Strong Project - Central Park from Saucony on Vimeo.

"If you are from out of town, I encourage you to run through Central Park."

This is the biggest lesson I've learned this year. There is no better way to see a city than with your running shoes on. I can't wait to run through Central Park on November 3rd!

Can I Get a Medic Over Here?-12 Days

Lord willing I won't need to see any medical staff on race day.

But it is a HUGE detail of running a race this big. Especially in light of the Boston bombing tragedy-it really brings to the surface how crucial the medical staff is during a race day.

I love the images in this video. It shows the humanity of running the race and how special the medical staff are who take care of us on race day. 12 days!


New York City Marathon from topher@tophercox.com on Vimeo.

The City Where Every Day is a Race-14 days!

Why run NYC?

Because it was the first. The best. The biggest. And well...if you are a runner-you have to run NYC.

Alec Baldwin tells you why its amazing.


NYC Marathon Alec Baldwin from Marc Beroza on Vimeo.

2 weeks from tomorrow I will be hitting the starting line!

The Fans-15 Days!

I am definitely looking forward to having the multitudes of crowd support to get me through this race.
As I've been reflecting on the race, I was getting a little bummed about there being nearly 2 million spectators and knowing a handful of people throughout the race.

It is going to be so awesome to have this face to cheer me on:

And of course these faces:

and THESE faces:

And this year because my brother Drew lives in New Jersey, he'll be there too! 

But in the face of 2 million people, it is tough to think that I'm even going to SEE them! 

Then I heard from the charity that there are volunteers from Inheritance of Hope that are all along the race course that will be looking for my charity shirt and cheering for me! How cool is that? Another incredible benefit of running a race with charity. It's running on a TEAM of people that are pulling for you! 

Like a cloud of witnesses. 

Hebrews 12:1

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him (ME) endured the cross."

BUH-BAM. 

Get ready people. The crowds are the cloud of witnesses. Look at it that way and you will never been the same. 

It is such a picture of Heaven. I can not wait. For the race and for Heaven. 

Let's run this race. 

2011 ING NYC MARATHON - THE FANS from rook productions media on Vimeo.

Also, I will have the signs to look forward to. Just laugh.

Timing-16 Days!

Becoming a more serious runner means that you become seriously more intense about data. You want to know exactly what your times are, what they mean, how you can do better.

What this means in a big race like the NYC Marathon is that there are 48,000 runners who ALL want that data. And maybe their families want that info too.

So as you can imagine, the logistics of timing a race like this is INSANE. Check out how it gets done and done accurately.

17 Days-How Did My Heart Get a Knife?

Just 17 days until the marathon which means just 15 days until we LEAVE for the marathon! It's getting so close!

I am doing my daily recovery runs and stretching. Trying to eat right. Because I have all of THIS to look forward to.




Please don't let my heart stab my lungs.
Please don't let me poop my pants. Or pants my poop.
Please don't let Rob Thomas get stuck inside my head.

I'm gonna do it. Gimme that space blanket!