Miles for Mitzie Happenings for May

Here's a quick rundown of some of the fun that's in the works for May:

Saturday, May 5: MD Anderson Sprint For Life


  Miles for Mitzie is doing it again this year!  We have a group created so please join us as we walk this 5K in the middle of the medical center of Houston.  The Sprint For Life benefits the Blanton-Davis Ovarian Cancer Fund at MD Anderson, so your money is going to a great cause.  Plus, an early morning 3 mile walk/run is a great way to justify a margarita later on that day :-)

Go here to sign up with Miles for Mitzie today!!!  http://www.firstgiving.com/sprintforlife



Saturday, May 19: Ironman Texas

 This is the big day for me, of course, but more importantly its a big day for Miles for Mitzie and ovarian cancer awareness.  Kyle and I have already marked out locations for our amazing Mile Marker signs celebrating our donors, and we are working on spectator spots, too.

   Rundown, (So Far...):

1. The race starts at 6:45am from North Shore Park on Lake Woodlands Drive.  If you plan to be at the start of the race to see me off this is the place. 
2. Transition is at Town Green Park off Lake Robbins (behind the Woodlands Pavillion and across from HEB Grocery).  Once I get on the bike it'll be a good 7-8hrs before I return here again.  The GREAT news is that my house is on the bike route...at the very end!!! 
3. Sooooo, Kyle will be hanging out at Summer Morning Ct. for the bike ride, where all spectators are invited to relax, hang out, drink, order food, cook food, and watch the live race feed on the big screen.  Plus, you can get the chance to walk out our front door and cheer your hearts out for the pros and the everyman finishing up a 112 mile bike ride (the louder, the better).  Bring music, megaphones, pom-poms, cowbells...whatever - you name it - I want to hear my little corner of the ride from 5 miles away!!!
1. This little stretch of road is also where we plan to place our Miles for Mitzie Mile Markers for all my donors who bought a mile on the bike course!!
2. There may also be a small group driving up the Richards, TX (about mile 51 on the bike ride) to cheer at a little ranch house there.  We'll have more details on that too as the date gets closer.
4. After the bike it's back to transition I go.  If you watch me ride by on the bike from my house, you probably will not have enough time to get to transition in time to watch me head out on the run....but we are scouting out spots to plant our Miles for Mitzie signs for the marathon...and to watch me run by.  The course is 3 loops and ends near the bars and restaurants at the Waterway.  Kyle's idea is to park at an office he's worked at close by and walk up the course a little to cheer me on some, then head back in towards the Waterway area (and the finish line!) as I run the 3rd loop. 

  Here's a link to the courses:  http://ironmantexas.com/course/

  I think that is it for Ironman right now.  We'll try to get more information out, with phone numbers, directions around traffic snarls (especially near my house), and any extras.

Miles for Mitzie T-Shirts Are Available:
  Because this year's fundraising has been dominated by the Ironman, it is only fitting that the shirts are too!  Yayy!  They are $20/each with a portion of the proceeds going towards my campaign.  They will be gray, but here is a peek at the design:

Even if you weren't able to make a donation directly to my campaign, simply by getting a great looking t-shirt you've done something.  Not only does a portion of the profits from the shirts benefit the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, but you are raising awareness by wearing it around!!  Let me know ASAP if you would like one, please!

Premier Jewelry For The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund
  Just a reminder that all home shows and catalog shows for my Premier Jewelry business do benefit the cause as well.  This is a fun, easy way to get some friends together and help a great cause...plus you get some amazing jewelry and hostess benefits out of it too.  Let me know if you'd like to help in this way!

That's it for now!  Please stay tuned!  As May winds down, I'll be focusing more and more on turning this little group into an amazing not-for-profit.  Trust me, I've got a great team and some AWESOME people with amazing ideas flowing my way.  I cannot wait to get moving!!!
    

Mile #5: Ellen Simmons "Kate Johnson's Mile" + Mile #6: Rachel Melville and Mile #9: Christopher Gerardy (Also gave in honor of Kate)

Mile #5: Ellen Simmons; Mile #6, Rachel Melville and Mile #9, Christopher Gerardy: "Kate Johnson's Miles"

Special thanks to Ellen Simmons for Mile #5 in honor of her wonderful friend Kate Johnson.  Kate is, sadly, nearing the end of her battle with ovarian cancer.  This mile is in recognition of a wonderful, courageous lady who Ellen has felt priviledged to know.

I should also recognize Rachel Melville (Mile #6) and Christopher Gerardy (Mile #9) of Fort Wayne, IN.  They are friends of Ellen, and have also had the privilege of calling Kate a dear friend.  They have also made a donation to this cause in honor of Kate Johnson.

Please, from the bottom of my heart, pray for Kate and her family and friends.  Please Lord, let Kate know how much she is loved, how many people she has touched deeply, and how much she will be missed by so, so many people.

Kate, I don't know you, but Mile #5, Mile #6 and Mile #9 are all for you!

Galveston 70.3 Race Report

I was VERY excited for Galveston this year!  I honestly felt ready for this race about a month before it happened, so when race day came I was pumped!  Plus, I was getting to race with Lance Armstrong!!! (In an "I'll get to see him zoom by at some point" kind of way)

Racking the bike the day before.  I was about 5(or more) rows back from Mr. Armstrong - not too shabby :-)

Race day began at 4:30am.  Setting up transition is one of the best parts.  It's the culmination of getting ready for the start.  So much nervous energy is there that it's electric! 

My wave started at 7:45, an hour earlier than last year.  Last year there were several girls I knew in my wave and that was comforting.  This year, I knew no one, but it didn't matter. Yeah, we tri ladies are all super sweet when standing on a pier waiting to jump into the freezing water for a 70.3.  Oh yeah, just chit chatting, helping each other into their wetsuits, putting hair in braids, straightening out goggles, etc.  But once that guns goes off, no one is your friend!! 

Holy cow!!  I was so surprised by the competitiveness in these ladies this year.  It was like a wrestling match for the first 2-300 yards!!!  I panicked, slightly.  I didn't remember fighting for my life in the swim last year.  Last year, the swim was my favorite part.  This year, I wasn't sure that I would live to see the 800 meter mark.

I survived!!  Now get this thing off of me!!

But, alas, I did live.  And I did quite well.  Exited the swim to Kyle screaming "39 minutes - new swim PR!!!"  Even though that swim felt horrible, his words made me feel pretty darn good!! 

Heading in to transition from the swim.  Thanks Kim for the picture!!

And it was actually a 38 minute swim - bettered my time by 2 minutes from last year.  Woo woo!!!

Next up, the bike....which I dread.  Biking this course last year was no, zero, zilch, nada fun for me.  I hated it!  But for some reason, this year I knew I had this bike course dialed in.  The wind was not as strong as last year and I had already biked this distance about 5 or 6 times at least!  So I took off and immediately started looking for Lance :-)

Just getting started!

Around mile 8 or so I saw him.  In the distance, the motorcycles with cameras, all tracking him.  One Mr. Lance Armstrong.  I sat up, gawked, smiled and thought "This is so cool!" as about three other people passed me.  Hey - I was having a moment!!

Then came the very first water stop on the bike course, roughly about 15 miles in (not sure of the exact distance, but that's my fuzzy math).   I reached up for a water bottle from a young volunteer, but just as I was about to grab for it I heard another bottle drop.  I looked down just as my tire rolled over it and slipped out from under me.  I hit the ground HARD.  First on my hip (and squarely on the plastic bottle of electrolyte tablets I was carrying in my pocket), then my elbow, then my shoulder and head.  My cage was rocked.  When I sat up the world was spinning and I could barely make out the volunteers calling for the medics.  I shook my head to get my eyes to stop spinning as the medic sat right in front of me telling me not to move.

I cried.  I thought my day was over.  I couldn't even see straight, so surely I had a concussion and was out.  It's amazing how many thoughts run through your head! 

Finally, though I calmed down and could really take in the damage.  I took my helmet off and the medic looked it over - it was fine!  Great!!  He had me stand up - which HURT, but I did it and walked to the medic's tent.  He cleaned up my scrapes on my hands, elbow and shoulder and then asked me a series of questions.  After several minutes I was ready to go again and said "Can I race now?" 

I spent about 20-30 minutes recovering, talking with the EMT's and getting my bike fixed up again.  Then I took off.  Then, I got mad!  I thought "I fell, that's it, now I've got nothing else to lose except a PR...and that's not happening because of a water bottle!!"  So I hammered it as hard as I could.  Sure, I still got passed - a lot, but I actually felt like I was racing!!  I've never felt that way on the bike.  I loved it!!  It was amazing how a really scary crash could turn into something so fun and enjoyable for me.  It was a great ride!!!  And I got another personal best on the bike too - even with the crash!!!

I rode into transition and racked my bike.  On the run out, I stopped to show Kyle some of the battle scars and all he said was "That's ok!  You've got 13.1 miles to a new PR - keep going!"  Clearly there was no convincing him that this day was over yet, or that I had any excuse not to PR at this point!



Trying to find the strength to run...luckily, Kyle knew what to say!

13.1 miles is a great distance!  Challenging, yet short enough to keep you convinced of its possibility.  This year the course only had 3 laps.  In order to cut it down from 4 laps to 3 laps a little run out on the local airport runway was added.  I, not-so-lovingly nicknamed it 'Death Valley'.  It was at least half as barren and HOT! 

The whole run was hot, but I won't complain about that.  I love to compete in the heat, but this runway strip had me second guessing.  There was a water stop at the very start of the runway.  At each lap I would grab as many cups of water, cups of ice, and sponges as I could - wishing I had more arms and hands each time.

But I made it around three times and ran the whole 13.1!  On lap 2, I ran by Kyle enjoying a hamburger at a picnic table nearby.  Oh don't worry, he was nice enough to yell from his cozy seat, "Good Job Babe!!"  I had to laugh at him.  Never too serious for me, that's for sure.

Then I got to head down the finisher's chute!  Yeah baby!!  Love the feeling of finishing, but it's even better when your darling husband yells out "That's a new PR!!!" as you run by. 

Just across the line!! Thanks again, Kim, for the picture!

It was a great day!!  In fact, in a weird way, I think the crash made it better.  I want to go back and do it again next year just to take back those 30 minutes with the medics!  You can see where this gets addicting, right?!

Next up, a little race I like to call 'Ironman Texas'!!!  Bring it.

Mile #135: Nicola Reading Mans, "Mans Power Mile"

Mile #135: Nicola Reading Mans, "Mans Power Mile"

Mile 135 is sponsored by a great family friend of all the Gremillion kids.  "Nikki" as we called her in high school, and beyond, has always found a way to show her amazing support to our crew...so it's no surpise she went and did it again with 140.6 Miles for Mitzie.

The 'Mans Power Mile' is meant to help me power through the last few miles at the end of a very long day.  Nikki knows what she's talking about too...she's no stranger to the half Ironman distance, so she knows the full Ironman is no joke - especially at the end.

Thank you so much Nikki!!!  I hope we can see you again on race day, too!!