Happy St. Patrick's Day weekend! I've been a bit MIA since the new year as I started a new job in November and have been trying to adapt to my new surroundings. So to catch you all up, I've been training since the end of December for my next race, which will take place this April in Louisville, Kentucky. The Derby Festival Marathon! (does not take place during the Derby, btw). So while I am training for a spring marathon, I would not call this spring training. Not even close. As everyone is aware, this winter, especially in Chicago, has been a rough one. (last count I saw was over 75 inches of snow overall). Here are some scenes from my training runs this winter.... 
OK, so I did get one weekend in Florida thanks to a work-related trip earlier this month to Tampa. I'm not gonna lie, the sun felt awesome But for the most part I've spend a LOT of time on the treadmill. On the upside, I've really gotten into The Following, season one, and have had the opportunity to watch SEVERAL episodes on Netflix while on the treadmill. April is Autism Awareness month so I thought it fitting to dedicate my 18th marathon taking place in April to raising support and awareness for the Autism Society. My inspiration for this comes from a good friend who has a son with autism. This actually was something that I wasn't entirely aware of until I read a blog she wrote last April. I already knew she was an overall cool and amazing person who appreciates fine music like JT, Bell Biv Devoe, and other classics like Keith Sweat. But after reading her post, I was in totally in awe of the challenges she and her family face daily, and how they face those challenges with a lot of humor and a lot of love. Running a marathon seems easy in comparison. Please take a few minutes to read her post, it's really fabulous and eye-opening. http://www.quadcitymomsblog.com/2013/04/02/patrick-a-blessing/ (Kelly, I hope you don't mind me sharing). She's also a frequent blogger for Quad Cities Mom's Blog and hilarious, so read her stuff. : )
Please help me in supporting the Austism Society, which is dedicated to helping those affected by autism and also to helping those of us who haven't experienced autism first hand gain a better understanding of the condition. Please head to my link to donate to the Autism Society. http://www.gofundme.com/7kqr28. I appreciate your support as I continue training for Louisville next month and as I continue to train throughout April for #19 in Rhode Island the first weekend of May.
And if you live in the Quad Cities, you should consider participating in the Royal Ball Run this year in Milan. Here's a link for ya! http://royalballrun.com/ Don't worry, it's not a full marathon. It's a 5K. : )
Now to head down to that treadmill for a 10 mile run (it's currently 21 degrees outside and "feels like" 5).
