2010 Is Just Around The Corner...

If you want to add "Run a Marathon", "Exercise" or "Make a Difference" to your New Year's resolution list, hit me up! Registration for Team in Training's summer season just started and I am so happy to announce that I am a mentor for the Long Beach team! Woohoo!

The summer season has great events planned, including the Rock 'n' Roll Full and Half Marathons in San Diego and Seattle, the South Maui Triathlon and the Lake Tahoe Century Ride...all of which are in June.

Training starts February 13! If you want to learn more about Team in Training and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, please attend one of our informational meetings or visit TNT's website.

Go TEAM!

Shop For A Cure!

Just in time for the holidays...

GIFTED Warehouse Sale
Saturday, December 5 and Sunday, December 13
9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
916 Silver Spur Rd., #108
Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90274

Choose from great items featured in gift bags from LA's hottest events:

• jewelry
• hand-painted glassware
• designer t-shirts
• beauty products (skin care, hair care, cosmetics, etc.)
• books
• tote bags
• evening bags
• laptop bags
• housewares
• candles
• and much, much more!!

GIFTED is generously donating 20 percent of proceeds to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society - just give them my name to ensure your purchase is credited to LLS.

Happy shopping!

So Thankful

Thanksgiving is just a couple days away, and despite all the not-so-cool things that have happened in the past few weeks, I am so thankful for so many things.

1. My family and friends - You guys are amazing! I am so blessed to have your love, friendship and support. Your well wishes throughout this entire adventure have kept me motivated, and even though injuries get in my way, you guys keep me going! A million thanks to you!

2. My health - I may have an effed up leg and a possible stress fracture that forced me to drop out of Honolulu, but I should be able to run next summer (fingers crossed), and continue raising money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and my honored teammates who are faced with the daily challenges of living with cancer.

3. My team - You guys make running fun! I can't believe I just used "running" and "fun" in the same sentence =) I never would've gotten this far without you...GO TEAM!

Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving <3

Cupcakes for a Cure...Part II

With the holidays just around the corner, who wouldn't want some tasty treats for dessert?

Cupcakes for a Cure is back! This time around, I have 10 delightful flavors from which to choose - from a pumpkin cream cheese confection to a classic chocolate on chocolate.

To see a full menu, click on the menu to the left! Happy eating!

One Month To Go...

With only four weeks left, I am slowly getting back into training. After resting my left calf for the last month, I am finally running again, although at a much slower pace and shorter distance.

This week, I did my first 40-minute run since getting hurt and am hoping I'll be well enough to finish the week with a 60. I don't know if I'll be able to hit 20 miles before Honolulu, but if I can at least get to 15 in the next few weeks, I'll feel a lot better about the marathon. I'm pretty nervous about my leg, and after seeing one of my coaches yesterday at our wine tasting event, I think it's pretty safe to say that other members of my team are nervous for me :/

On a brighter note, the wine tasting went well! The event was held at Wine Lab in Newport Beach and was so much fun! I'm not much of a wine drinker, but I definitely had a great time with my team, indulging in some great wine and chocolate. It's so nice to hang out with everyone in a non-running environment, where we can wear normal clothes and make-up and not be sweaty.

Four more weeks...stay tuned for more updates!

Progress!

This week, many of my teammates were out sick so our runs were modified to accommodate everyone. Since I am still nursing my left calf, Coach Jim suggested that I walk about three miles and after each five minute increment, stop to evaluate my leg.

I felt fine the whole time and ended up walking five miles with my teammates who are training for next week's Santa Barbara half-marathon. After today's session, I didn't feel any pain in my leg (which is great), but I thought it would be a good idea to get my knot worked out anyway.

After the initial pain of having a knot massaged (btw my massage therapist found another knot in my calf), I was able to enjoy the rest of my massage...now I'm relaxed and ready to enjoy Halloween!

This week, I'll still be taking it easy, but will up my mileage throughout the week...baby steps, but at this point, I just need to get better so I can finish 26.2 in December.

Join TNT at the Fall Fundraisers!

The fall season is here and to celebrate, my teammates and I are hosting two fun fall events to raise money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Spooky Sprint
Saturday, October 31 at 8 a.m.
Belmont Shore Pool
4000 E. Olympic Plaza
Long Beach, CA

* Registration is $25 for adults and $15 for children 6-12. Costumes are encouraged! Click here to register.


Team In Training Wine Tasting
Wednesday, November 11 from 6-8 p.m.
Wine Lab Newport
2901 W. Coast Highway, Suite 100
Newport Beach, CA

* For $35 per person, guests can participate in a wine and cheese tasting featuring five wines and three cheeses. Space is limited! Email me at jmalicse@hotmail.com to reserve your spot today!

Hope to see you there!

Man Down

This past weekend, our goal was to complete 15 miles. The morning started out pretty warm, but after mile two or three, the fog kicked in and we spent the next five miles dripping from all the mist.

My fellow run/walkers didn't make it to our long run, so I had the daunting task of running by myself...no iPod, no one to talk to...nothing. Needless to say, it was pretty boring, but fortunately, Bolsa Chica and Huntington Beach have a lot of interesting things to see.

I am so glad I caught up with one of my coaches at mile seven because once we hit mile 11, my left knee (which has been giving me problems since day one and only got worse after an unfortunate skimboarding incident last week) finally gave out. I wanted desperately to finish my run, but Coach Gordon told me to rest and catch a ride back to my car.

As much as I wanted to complete 15, it's a good thing I didn't, because when I got home that day, my knee was so swollen. Not cute at all. I'm so unbelievably mad at my knee right now. Two months to go...please send my knee some good vibes because I am going to be sooooooo mad if I can't run Honolulu.

Half Way There!

Month Three is about to start, which means...we're half-way through training for the Honolulu Marathon! In the last two months, our team has trained hard, had fun and raised a lot of money for a great cause!

During one of our last runs, I set a personal record of 12 miles. The SoCal heat and humidity have made our early morning runs a bit difficult, but having our coaches and teammates around keeps things fun!

In addition to hitting the half-way point for training, I've also reached the half-way point for fundraising! To date, I have raised over $2,600 for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society...55 percent of my fundraising goal! I couldn't have done it without the generosity of my donors - thanks to all of you for making a difference in the lives of cancer patients and their families!

One last update: the TNT End of Summer Fun Run was such a hit that we've decided to host another Fun Run on Halloween morning. More details to come!

Finally...Double Digits!

My longest run to date just happens to be my best run to date...10 miles! As our mileage has increased over the past few weeks, I've noticed more aches and pains than I expected. However, a quick tweak from my doctor and an extremely effective 6:1 run interval (six-minute run followed by a one-minute walk) made 10 miles absolutely painless! I swear! No side stitches, achy joints or sore feet - it was an unbelievable run! It was also my first run with intervals - absolutely loved it!

My coaches noticed a very big improvement with our team - our breathing has improved, our form is better and overall, we are looking a lot better out there. I can definitely say that we couldn't have done it without their help.

Next week we tackle 12 miles...I'm so ready for it! And after our run, I'm going to Znow's in Huntington Beach for some ice cream :) Can't wait!!!

One Month and Eight Miles Later

My first month of training is complete - and what a month it's been! We started training on August 1st with a 30-minute run and closed out the month with eight miles. I still have a long way to go before Honolulu, but I'm really excited about how much my team and I have improved in such a short amount of time.

Our next step in training begins tomorrow with 60 minutes of speed work. I don't really know what to expect, but if it makes running 26.2 miles easier, then I'm all for it.

Three months to go! If anyone in Internet land has recommendations for Honolulu (food, shopping, food...you know, the important things), please send them my way. Thanks ;)

Cupcakes for a Cure

Satisfy your sweet tooth while helping a great cause! On Saturday, August 29, I will be hosting a bake sale benefiting the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society at the Harrison Way garage sale. Six delightful cupcake flavors will be available for $2 each. Flavors include:

The Original - a dark chocolate cupcake filled with marshmallow creme and topped with a layer of chocolate ganache

The Classic - a yellow cupcake topped with a chocolate buttercream frosting and sprinkles

The Mocha - a dark chocolate cupcake topped with a fluffy mocha buttercream frosting

The Red - a smooth red velvet cupcake with a hint of cocoa, topped with a cream cheese frosting

The Lava - a decadent dark chocolate cupcake with a molten truffle filling

The Black and White - a dark chocolate cupcake with a vanilla buttercream frosting

The sale will take place at 8540 Harrison Way in Buena Park. If you can't make it to the sale, but want to buy some homemade goodness, email me at jmalicse@hotmail.com to place an order.

Hope to see you there!

A Million Thanks to My Donors!!!

My donors rock! In just three weeks, my family and friends helped me raise over $1,000 for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Your support means the world to me, my teammates, and the countless patients and their families who are faced with the daily challenge of living with cancer.

I also want to thank Carissa at Shaklee for generously donating items to the End of Summer 5K Fun Run/Walk! It's not too late to help out - if you'd like to sign up for the 5K or donate items for the goodie bags, let me know!

Thanks again for all of your support and well wishes! I really appreciate it <3

Join TNT at the August Fundraising Events!

Team In Training Long Beach has four great events coming up - have fun AND raise money for a wonderful cause!

Strike Out Cancer
Sunday, August 23
AMF Valley View Lanes
12141 Valley View
Garden Grove, CA

* Tickets are $16 per person and include three games and shoe rental. Tell them I sent you!



Dine For A Cure
Tuesday, August 25
Buca di Beppo
7979 Center Drive
Huntington Beach, CA

* 20% of all dining receipts will be donated to LLS. Print out the flyer and present it to your server to ensure your donation is received.

End of Summer 5K Fun Run/Walk
Sunday, August 30
Belmont Plaza Pool
4000 E. Olympic Plaza
Long Beach, CA

* Registration is $20. Sign up on my fundraising page and include "5K Registration" in the comments section. Click here for more info.

Jamba Juice In-Store Fundraiser
Sunday, August 30
4923 E. Second Street
Long Beach, CA

* 20% of all purchases will be donated to LLS. Print out and present this flyer to ensure your donation is received.

Hope to see you there!

Week Two Update

Can you believe just two weeks ago, I wanted to stop running after five minutes and now I can handle an hour? Woohoo!!!

Week Two ended on Saturday with a great run in Cerritos. We did a little over three-and-a-half loops around Regional Park (each loop is supposed to be two miles, but I think it might be less) in 60 minutes. Some teams started doing run/walk intervals, but I decided to run the entire hour...felt pretty good the entire time =)

More updates: With fall just around the corner, TNT Long Beach is celebrating the end of summer with a 5K Fun Run/Walk in Belmont Shore on Sunday, August 30. There's still time to sign up! Pre-registration is $20 - you can sign up on my fundraising site - or pay $25 on the event day. We are also looking for donations for our goodie bags, so if you or someone you know has 100 water bottles, snacks, t-shirts, anything, PLEASE let me know!

Last but not least, thank you to everyone who has made a donation to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society! Your contribution will help fund necessary programs and services for people living with cancer and their families! So on behalf of my honored teammates and LLS, thank you for your support!

My Newest Running Toy...

On my latest shopping adventure, I came across the Nike + iPod Sport Kit. Never thought I actually needed it, but boy was I wrong.

With a small transmitter in your shoe and a receiver on your Nano, Nike's handy dandy device turns your iPod into a running computer - it tracks your distance, pace, time and calories, tells you how much time you have left in your run (in a friendly male or female voice), and when connected to your computer, uploads your running history to Nike's website. It's the coolest thing ever!

It helps me tremendously to have someone tell me how much time I have left in my run for a couple reasons: a) I don't wear a watch because I don't want the tan line and b) I still get bored while I run, although yesterday I channeled ABDC when a Ne-Yo song played so that made the last few minutes easier =)

Four months and one day 'til Honolulu!!! Woohoo!

Week One - Success!

We just completed our first week of training and so far, so good! Our team did a 40-minute run on Saturday, which took us from the Long Beach Yacht Club to the beach bike path. It was nice to see other groups training as well - everyone was very encouraging and kept our spirits up!

I don't think I've ever done more than 20 minutes of running, so I'm still facing a bit of a challenge staying focused. My music selection has definitely kept me going, so I'm hoping (fingers crossed) that I'll get used to running for extended periods of time.

On a much more positive note, I got my FIRST donation!!!! Woohoo! I can't begin to tell you how stoked I was to receive an email notifying me of the donation. Plus all the support I've received from family and friends has done wonders to keep me motivated. Thanks everyone <3 I really appreciate it!

Stay tuned for details on the bake sale and don't forget...the End of Summer 5K Fun Run/Walk in Belmont Shore is coming up! Register today!!!

Meet My Honored Teammates

Today I did a 35-minute run...so glad I charged up my iPod because running by yourself sucks. I realized that I need new music...my beach cruising playlist isn't very conducive to running, so if anyone in Internet land has recommendations, please send them my way. I was thinking screamy music might work, but anyway.

My boredom gave me time to reflect on why I am taking on this challenge: to help people with cancer. That said, meet my honored teammates, Alyssa and Celeste.




Alyssa (left) is five years old and was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) in 2007. One year after her diagnosis, she suffered a severe case of encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) which caused her to lose her eye sight as well as movement in the right side of her body.

Celeste (right) is also five years old and was diagnosed with ALL in 2008. Her mother, who completed the San Diego Marathon with TNT earlier this year, shared her heartbreaking yet hopeful story with our group.

Through the years, I've conducted numerous tours of Childrens Hospital Los Angeles' oncology unit. I knew all the stats - the survival rates, divorce rates, sibling and behavioral issues...you name it - but it wasn't until I met Celeste's mom that I realized how difficult a cancer diagnosis is for the entire family.

Giving hope to these kids and their families is the reason why I am training, fundraising and promoting The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. And I am so honored to have the opportunity to make a difference.

5K Fun Run/Walk - August 30!

On Sunday, August 30, Team in Training Long Beach is hosting an End of Summer 5K Fun Run at Belmont Shore to raise money for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Registration is $20 - you can sign up through my fundraising site! When you make your $20 donation online, simply leave a comment that it's for the "5K Registration" and bring your receipt to the registration booth on event day.

For complete event details, please visit TNT Long Beach's End of Summer 5K Fun Run site.

Hope to see you there!

Kickoff! Woohoo!

Today was Day One of the four-month adventure. First things first - waking up at 6 am is not fun. Most people know that I am NOT a morning person, so the wake up call was the first struggle of the day.

Once I arrived at the TNT meeting spot in Long Beach, we did some quick intros and started to run. Our goal for today was to run for 30 minutes - we started at the Long Beach Yacht Club, ran passed Mother's Beach and Second Street, and turned around at the marina once we hit our 15 minute halfway point. I think we ran about 2.5 miles today.

It makes such a big difference to run with a team, because I know for a fact that I would have stopped running about five minutes into this. My body felt fine throughout the entire run, but I usually get really bored, so having the rest of the team around definitely kept me motivated.

So overall, Day One was a success! Can't wait to start fundraising...maybe my first event will be a bake sale!

Go Team!

The Course

Although it is scenic, the Honolulu Marathon course looks a bit challenging for a newbie like myself. Portions of the course are steep, especially as we run through Diamondhead and some of the luxury home communities.











The starting line is at Ala Moana Beach Park and goes through Honolulu Harbor, Chinatown and Downtown. Some sites we'll pass through include Iolani Palace, Kawaiahao Church and the Mission Houses Museum, all of which I'm really excited to see because I like historical things and read about all of them in Hawaii by James Michener (one of my all time favorite books). Can't wait 'til December 13 =)

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step

For the past few years, I've thought about training for a marathon. I researched different training groups and races, but could never commit to actually signing up. It wasn't until a couple weeks ago that I decided that this year was THE year. So...I called my local Team in Training (TNT) group, went to an informational meeting and signed up for Honolulu! Woohoo!!

I have a long road ahead of me, but I'm absolutely thrilled about taking the first step towards completing a marathon. Most importantly, training for Honolulu will help raise money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, a great organization that funds blood cancer research, education and support services. Please check out my fundraising page to make a donation to a wonderful cause!

Training officially starts on Saturday, August 1st. If you'd like to train with TNT, contact me at jmalicse@hotmail.com and I'll give you all the details!

I'll be updating the blog regularly, so check back often!