Blog
Posted Apr 13th 2012 1:03PM by Lesleh
Your hand in my hand - all the way across country!
It is Friday, April 13th, the last time it was Friday, April 13th…well, that’s another story. This time around we have good news to report. My kid, my beautiful 18 year old daughter is on the journey of a lifetime. She is running across America - BAREFOOT - without the aid of a sag crew. She is alone (except for the police officers and sheriffs departments that are keeping a close eye on her), and she is getting it done.
Rae began her journey on Sunday April 1, 2012 - just 13 days ago. She has run through 4 states completely, and just yesterday entered #5, New Jersey. She is carrying all she needs to get her through the day in a top of the line baby jogger, and she is being met at the end of each day by some very dear friends that I am blessed to row, run, or cycle with…or friends of friends that do. The community of athletes in the United States and Canada is overwhelmingly generous. Folks are reaching out to assist, be it with donations to Rae’s cause, Soles4souls, or donating directly to her so that she has what she needs to make this adventure happen. Especially grateful are we to those who have joined in the Hosting of Rae each evening when she is done with her run.
Thanks go out to: Corporate Sponsors Run Girl Run & Anytime Fitness International
John and Jinx and Jen & family - You so graciously received all her equipment at your house for weeks prior to her arrival in Boston, met her at the train, and took such great care of her to get her off on this amazing journey. Thank you - those first 44 miles on Day 1 were fueled by your love and care! 44 miles that day due to getting lost in Boston for a bit.
Peter & Robin & Family - Wow, these guys really came through for us! We were desperate for housing when Rae got to Pawtucket, but thanks to Cheryl Krause they learned of Rae’s adventure and generously offered to house her. Peter (caring loving father that he is) was very concerned about Rae and I am pretty sure thinks that I have a screw or two loose to let her do this! (I do). 32.6 miles Day 2 Tuckered out!
Denise & Jason Geeza - This family came to us through a church that found out about Rae. Holy Trinity Orthodox Church. Denise works at the local middle school in Brooklyn, CT so Rae ran to the school only to be met by the softball and baseball teams cheering her in. She then ran a lap with the track team. It was an amazing experience. 23.2 miles Day 3
Nick & Dot - Nick and Dot are also members of the church family mentioned above. Rae was exhausted and her ankles were blowing up beyond belief. 26 miles Day 4 Showing signs of exhaustion.
Maxine Shepatin - Hallelujia! Hallelujia! Rae was done 6 miles in to this run. Her feet were severely swollen and she really needed to rest. This was all part of the learning curve. Rae is a teenager (stubborn one at that) and she was certain her mileage was fine. If you saw the original schedule you would agree it was nothing short of insanity. This day was her “come to jesus moment”. We called dear friend Maxine and told her we were in need of TLC and a quick route adjustment. All along I wanted her along the shoreline, close to the water and scenery and people we might know. This was a blessing. Max is one of the oldest women on my rowing team…she got lots of grandmotherly love in New London. Day 4 6 miles RELIEF & a pedicure.
Day 5 - A little meltdown occurred about an hour and a half into this run. Fortunately her sister and best friend, Kendall, and I were together when the phone call came in. We said to her that if she approached this journey as a race, it would beat her to death. She needed to get off the treadmill and start seeing everywhere she was running through. Stop and smell the roses…experience this adventure. Take it all in. She was tearful, but put one foot in front of the other. She persevered like no one I have ever seen. Her tank was empty but she put her best bare foot forward…and found a little town in Connecticut that apparently makes the best ice-cream in the world. So they claim. Rae ordered a huge ice cream, plopped an excessive amount of sour patch kids on it…and the sugar buzz carried her happily to her hotel for the night. After a shower, a pizza to call her own, she slept like a baby and her spirits were renewed. Day 5 25.5 miles
Kari & Family - Kari is a connection through the folks at Blood Street Sculls Rowing Club. She met up with Rae on her bike and rode her into town. Fabulous. Company. Important guesture. She is a rower, and a fabulous busy Mom, she served Rae a wonderful Passover dinner (the cultural experiences are going to be plentiful). The next morning Kari called me and requested to permission to take her to a holistic clinic. It was wonderful. Treated by a wonderful acupuncturist, assured the swelling should show some relief the next day, we opted to keep her in Kari’s home an extra day. Great decision, great intervention by Kari. Thank You! Day 6 22.2 miles Day 7 REST
Ruth Stone - I can’t say enough about Ruth. This is a single mom, rower, business woman, who took days out of her own busy schedule to ride her bike with Rae. She was sidelined by Rae’s day off, but used the day to catch up on work, then met her at Kari’s and rode to Stamford, CT. They stopped and visited the Saugatuck Boathouse (Rae is 6 feet tall and seriously when she finally gets off her feet, should sit on her behind and take up rowing!). They had a lovely lunch. They smelled the roses, together, it was perfect. A wonderful experience happened that evening when they met up with Jesper Olsen, a Danish man that is on his second lap around the world…yes, running around the world. Visit www.worldrun.org to learn more about his run, and their meeting. It was an inspiration for both of them. He referred to Rae as an “ultra runner” - To that I say, “Yes, young lady - you certainly are”. Day 8 22 miles
Day 9 - Newly invigorated by her wonderful day with Ruth, Rae ran happily into New Rochelle, NY. She had nice weather and a good game plan - and a nice short run. That evening was spent in a hotel alone, king bed, good food, it was all she needed. Day 9 14.9 miles
Jim & Katie Cody, Jim & Katie Glover, Rob & Jean Zimmer & Families -
The East Arm Rowing Club/Masters Coaching, came out in full force to take care of Rae’s journey into the Big Apple. Katie works downtown so we planned for Rae to meet her in Manhattan. Rae wants to warn anyone planning on running into New York City that there are much better ways to get there. This was a tough run. Short ,but it took forever. Katie picked her up in Harlem, took her first to the Museum of Natural History (awesome), then home to shower, and eat and hangout. She attended a bonfire that night,and slept well in preparation for her sojourn into the city the next day. She spent her day off wandering the sites in NYC, and met up with Katie later in the day for the trip back to their place. Dinner with the Glovers was fun, and much planning was done with everyone figuring out how to get Rae out of Manhattan. Not an easy task. Calls went in to Jen Tubbs Wright, owner of irunlikeagirl, and longtime Manhattan resident. Everyone chipped in their two cents worth. Katie decided she would escort Rae on bike to her next stop in Elizabeth, NJ. Day 10 16 miles, Day 11 - NEW YORK NEW YORK
Rhea & Matt - Oh how I love these guys. Matt is originally from Iowa, so he has been on the phone with me trying to get things figured out. He actually was disappointed when we changed the dates because he is back in Iowa for a reunion with the Theater Dept at UNI. He is actually an Emmy Award winning producer, and Rhea is an actress/woman of all trades! Anyway, last night was a blast. Rhea hooked her up with a chiropractor and she got twisted and bent and snapped and they laughed apparently until they choked, ate Thai food, and finished with a lovely lavender epsom salt bath. Off to bed, happy, tired and content. This morning she went on her way, 10 a.m. start time, taking some lessons from Jesper Olsen, she is starting out a little later. Day 12 16 miles
Today…she is off and running. Follow her on FACEBOOK, this is a lonely road day after day and she can use your encouragement. Rae’s Run Across America is her Facebook page.
Oh ya, one more thing…I can’t begin to tell you how proud I am of her. She is brave and strong and gracious - I am equally proud of her siblings who are working hard behind the scenes to keep her running strong, they are unceasingly generous with their time and their love for her. Thumbs up troops!
Yours on the road,
Mom of the barefoot runner girl , Mom of amazing dancer/personal trainer, Mom of awesome artist and designer, Mom of sister who is missing all her sisters desperately & awesome dancer with brand new contacts (looking good DJ), Mom of extraordinary tech, StepMom to 2 amazing women in California that are handling all your emails and requests. My plate is indeed full.
Lesleh Anderson Heim
Posted Feb 21st 2012 12:28PM by Lesleh
Rae and Mom
As a lifelong runner, it warms my heart that I have two kids who like to run as well. One is on the fringe, she runs with her sister, runs to manage her weight, runs races too…even though it is not her favorite thing to do until she is in the middle of it. Rae however is a completely different story.
My daughter Rae is a long distance runner. She runs half and full marathons and announced last year after her 1st marathon that the next thing she was doing was an ultra marathon. Wow…where did she come from?
I took the comment in stride and watched as she increased her comittment and her daily runs. She decided to run the Des Moines Marathon five days before the race, without a real marathon training plan before her, and bested her previous marathon by 40 minutes and this time she did it 100% shoeless. She also placed third in her age group and was the only female running without shoes. One of two people who were shoeless on the race course. So now, not only was she pushing her times and her workouts, she was challenging herself to run without shoes. (DIRTY FEET! DIRTY FEET ! DIRTY FEET!)
10 miles to go and smiling!
That was October 2011. Not much time went by when I received a text from her while I was away at a running expo for rungirlrun.
TO MOM -
I want to run across the United States. I graduate from High School early in January of 2012, and I would like to run across the U.S. starting in March. I think I will be the youngest person to do it.
MOM’S RESPONSE -
Ok. That is going to take some planning. You need a support team, I am not letting my 17 year old daughter run across America without a plan and a caravan.
Rae was bitterly disappointed in me. She thought I was being negative and shutting her down, not supporting her desire to experience the open road, and for a while it was left undiscussed. However, time passed and her graduation was inching closer and closer - and the run was still something she had every intention of making happen.
still smiling - notice the runcuf on the ankle
Things really became difficult in December. She and her older sister had decided that as soon as Rae graduated they would head to Las Vegas, easier training ground for Rae’s run and Kendall wants to continue her education at UNLV so she wanted to head out there early to get her residency before starting classes. Countless discussions were started, but Rae and I were butting heads in a major way because I really didn’t want her to do it alone. She was a kid for goodness sake, I couldn’t take the time off work to drive beside her for 4 months (though I would love to do that). I didn’t know what to do.
Now guilt and fear were becoming my good friends. Feeling guilty that I wasn’t supporting her passion and more so worrying about her alone on the road like a 5’11 beautiful piece of bait on the road for some freaking crazy person to snatch up (I still feel that and will until the second she dips her toe in the pacific ocean).
My partner Bill is always the voice of reason. He tries to calm most of my storms and he does a good job of it. This little tornado wasn’t easily slipping back up into the clouds though. Rae was determined and even Bill was a little concerned about things. The little girl once so sweet at 18 months of age one day suddenly kicked her Daddy in the shins (hard) when he didn’t follow through on something for her. That same little girl, was going to do this run come hell or high water.
The girls moved to Vegas the middle of January. I was in Houston for the Olympic Marathon Trial races, and they were in my mini van headed across country. I was tracking their progress as was Bill and their Father. Between the three of us, we kept in touch most of the way. I kept reminding myself that if I was this worried about them in a vehicle, what was every day going to be like when she set out running.
Rae made the decision to raise money for Soles4Souls, they are an organization out of Nashville Tennessee that raises funds for shoes, and accepts shoes in good condition on behalf of those who have none. It was a perfect match for the girl who ran barefoot, thus reminding everyone who sees her run barefoot how miserable it must be to not be able to afford something that we all take for granted. Something as simple as our shoes.
Do I still worry about the run. Yes. Have I covered every possible problem I could think of in conversation after conversation. Yes. Am I going to actually let her do this?
When I was a kid I told my parents I wanted to go to the Olympics. They didn’t laugh, they didn’t say one negative thing to me - they put their hands together and they cheered me on with all the support and love that they could muster. I got there.
She begins her run on April 1, 2012. She has set up a link to Soles4Souls. Those who would like to support her Soles4Souls run can make donations . She is managing an Anytime Fitness in Las Vegas. They are allowing her the time off for her jaunt across America, and she is trying to tuck some dollars away to make the run a reality. Her sister Kendall (pictured above is her greatest supporter) is housing and feeding her in an apartment meant for one. She has been emailing her planned course to me, and seems to have a pretty good idea of where she is going though I am still feeling sick to my stomach. She refuses an entourage. She wants to run with a stroller to carry her water and daily food supply. A sleeping bag and toothbrush and pair of running shoes for the days when being totally barefoot just won’t work. She is interested in journaling her trip even doing some speaking engagements along the way at schools or community events…mostly she is interested in the people she will meet along the way, learning more about them and the lives they lead…and putting shoes on the feet of folks who have not.
You’re worried along with me right? Well, if you are reading this …and you happen to live somewhere between Boston and Philly, Indianapolis and Chicago, (we have Iowa pretty much covered, but ) Blair Nebraska and Cheyenne Wyoming … well you get the picture. If you know of churches she can lay her head down in, and good hearted folks who might run along side her for a short while, I would be much obliged. She is a tough little cookie this kid of ours, and she really has no idea how proud her Mom and her extended family is of her.
She is crazy, but …we all know the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree.
Rae Heim turns 18 on March 29, 2012. She sets out on the road in Boston on April 1st, 2012. She plans to run the San Francisco Marathon the last weekend in July….She will be the youngest person to complete a coast to coast run across America, man or woman.
So you do the math. That is one hell of a long way for one little girl - with no shoes on her feet.
Rock the road little lady, your momma’s got your back!
You can send direct support to Soles4Souls through this link -
http://www.soles4soulsfundraising.org/cgi-bin/view_profile.cgi?id=2766#.T0MCDef31P8.facebook
You can directly help with Rae’s expenses by sending a check to:
Rae Heim - Runs America
119 4th Street #505
Des Moines Iowa 50309
You will receive a postcard receipt for your expense donation. Please include your address.
Rae and Kendall after Las Vegas Half
Miles and miles of dirty feet.
Posted Jun 27th 2011 12:17PM by Lesleh
In Reno Nevada there is a 12 person relay adventure race that starts in downtown Reno and travels 178 miles around Lake Tahoe CA, through the night and then finishes back in Reno the following day. Each runner has to run 3 legs each varying in distance and difficulty. As the race begins the altitude increases, climbing elevations of thousand’s. For the third year I have put together a women’s team called the Scattered Daisies. Scattered Daisies is the name because we come from scattered places. 3 Canadian’s come as well as one friend from New York. I am the 4thCanadian runner but I live in Reno, 7 others that reside in Reno make up our team. We Reno runners enter a few other half and full marathons a year. Our ages range from those in their thirties to late fifties. Some of the women on our team run businesses like Aventura, Restaurants like Wellington Court and The Coach House. We have a CPA (who masters the watch), an Oncology Nurse, Teacher and breast cancer survivor. We are all mothers and some mothers of other young athletes ….swimmers, gymnasts, basketball players, soccer players, hockey players and skiers. 
Two years ago I was lucky to re-connect with a rowing pal Lesleh Anderson Heim-rungirlrun. I had to have my team decked out in rungirlrun attire. Les was able to custom fit us with daisy skorts ,tanks and jackets. Our look was so hot last year we won “most spirited team” We constantly get compliments on our outfits.
During the night legs we run in absolute pitch darkness needing headlights, reflective vests and flashlights. This year we were sponsored by knuckle lights.
Scattered Daisies team members have only really changed by one person each year which says a lot about the unity of the team. There are moments of pure laughter taking over all physical control. Music favorites that are played over and over again, plus the odd prankster joke. One of our runners ran her first marathon last fall at Nike women’s .After her marathon she was touring some of San Francisco’s finest stores sipping a PBR in a brown paper bag (Pabst Blue Ribbon).
So for Rochelle’s first leg of the race we tied 6 empty PBR cans to the back of the van bumper and slowly drove past her. As Rochelle wondered what the noise was the look on her face upon seeing the cans was worth every moment. Yes we do get a little nutty on route. However we are all about friendship, support and improving within ourselves.
The RTO relay is tougher than a marathon. It’s the waiting to run and then run again and then run again….plus organizing all your food in between. The darkness, hill climbs, and constant increase in altitude make it challenging. This year’s RTO had a record entry of 209 teams, including one team from Brazil. You can make the event as fun or as serious as you like. There are contests for the Best Team Name, Best Team Spirit, Best Team shirt, best decorated van and Best Exchange point.
I am hoping one year Lesleh can join us and run as a Scattered Daisy. The roughness from 3am to 7am quickly diminishes at the finish line where the fun continues. This year we skipped into the finish line holding hands. Karen our CPA from Ballston New York had dollars ready from her boss to treat us all to a cold finish line beer.
We hope to keep our Scattered Daisy Team a continued entry in the Reno Tahoe Odyssey Relay and one day do the Hood to Coast. This is an amazing group of women to run and race with.
Deb (Snider) Lloyd Captain of the Scattered Daisies
Posted May 18th 2011 9:38AM by Lesleh
The Bloomsday Run in Spokane Washington attracts a multitude of runners, approximately 54,000 of them. At every race we are touched time and again by the stories of those who run. Women come to our booth and share the reasons why they started running - or lifelong runners chat about what keeps them out there on the road. As I boarded the plane from Spokane to home, I grabbed the local paper and was so touched by a story of two friends ~ I knew I would have to share it here.
Mandi Walters and Shannon Little were just a couple of women on the road in Spokane with the intention of unleashing their inner crazy. The loon factor is one of the things that is particularly endearing about these huge runs. Spokane is no different. Runs like this tend to draw runners out of the house that only race once a year, and they love to do it with their own little twist.
To some, the 7.46 mile race, it is a test of their endurance but to this pair of friends - so much more than that.
Mandi, a 30 year old yoga instructor, ties a leg to one of Shannon’s legs using an aging sports bra for a rope. ( How freaking fantastic an idea is that! : ).
Legend has it that the said bra was discovered in the trunk of Mandi’s car when this three-legged ritual was hatched. That was six or so Bloomsdays ago according to Shannon, a 29 year old caregiver.
Did I mention that they perform their running feat (excuse the pun) as “SillySally” and “SillyBilly”, wearing wacky outfits to add to the craziness. “Last year was a polka-dot theme!” While it makes you smile and laugh a little, it is impossible when hearing the rest of the story not to get a little choked up. More on that in a moment.
It should be noted first of all that being tied leg-to-leg hasn’t slowed these two athletic women as much as one might presume. Shannon said that they three legged it across the line last year in about 1 hour and 17 minutes. Not bad. This year’s three legged adventure however, was going to be conducted at a little more leisurely pace.
Shannon is seven months pregnant this year. Ah, a blessed event you think…supplying ample oos and ahs for a touching story. Life though ~ proves not to be so linear.
Shannon’s baby, a girl, suffers from a severe chromasome abnormality. This has caused catastrophic defects. The baby isn’t expected to survive outside the womb. All these truths were revealed to Shannon over the course of one awful week. Shannon decided to see her pregnancy through to full term and will deliver her child, Trinity Phoenix. That is the name she and her husband Bradford, gave to their daughter.
I am betting a lot of people would forego cutting it up at any run in the wake of such a devastating development.
This strong amazing woman said she simply thought of herself as being at a Y in the road. “I can go left, which is hiding and being in this big secret, or, I can go right, which is filled with joy!” Shannon said, “so what better joy than to move forward with this tradition of the ultimate silliness?”
I like to think that little Trinity will miraculously heal these next two months inside the womb of such a lovely brave mother.
Touched on the road,
Lesleh Anderson Heim
Posted Mar 29th 2011 10:00PM by Lesleh
As years go by we need to reaquaint ourselves with our relationship to running. Some of us start out running for a cause, some of us begin with a goal of weight loss…lots of us do it becuase it is the one time of the day that our head is actually clear of tasks and chores and work related gobbledeegoop. There does come a time however that we question our running life. It might be after the first race, or it might be after years of marathoning.
My sister-in-law, who is an avid marathoner and has the tight little multi-marathon body to prove it - recently mentioned that perhaps this Boston would be her last hurrah. She loves to run, she enjoys the process of training and racing, and she appreciates the time away with the girlfriends who run as well…not to mention occasional opportunities to see her fabulous “sister” that she doesn’t see enough. We didn’t really discuss her reasons behind the decision…but it made me wonder how many of you have made significant training choices, or racing choices that are different from your original game plan.
What are the game changers? Why did you step back for a moment and regroup…and what kind of experiences you have been blessed or cursed with because of those changes?
I just gave up my fitness classes, which is a huge change in my life. No more running out to class, now I can actually focus on the running and what I would like to achieve out on the road. I am looking forward to all that changes that will bring - what about you?
Yours on the road,
Lesleh Anderson Heim ~ rungirlrun
Posted Feb 24th 2011 11:06AM by Lesleh
Ladies…I am thoroughly enjoying a 6 week stint in Florida. Multiple races brought me here, with the bonus of a couple of rowing camps. While the north has taken the brunt of lousy weather this winter - I have been blessed to be able to row and run in the sun and comfortable temperatures and beautiful locations.
As we prepare for the Disney Princess, I can’t help but wonder “Is that all there is my friends?”. We encourage you to send photos and a description of your favorite running locations to Lesleh@rungirlrun.ca as we would like to highlight your favorite destinations. Of course, if you are wearing rungirlrun gear - all the better!
Tell us your stories!
Posted Dec 28th 2010 1:21PM by Lesleh
My rowers love this mix. It is a great mix to take to weekend sporting events and use as a team munchie. Full of good carbs, needed sugar and salt and the soy allows for a good amount of protein! At regattas we go through a two gallon container daily…I find it hard to keep up with how fast they eat it. I also like to have it at the running expo when I am working, I can easily grab a handful here and there while I am working and then I am not so underfueled on race day.
What you need:
I have a two gallon plastic container that I use to store this. I use a huge stainless steel bowl to mix it or sometimes just a big bag so that it mixes up well.
Cereal choices are as you prefer them….I usually use two different kinds from the following list:
Cheerios - whole grain or multi grain and sometimes chocolate
Quaker Oats - oatmeal squares
Chex - the cinnamon are good, or whole grain/whole wheat?
DRIED FRUIT- I am usually one to use a little of everything. You have to watch the dried fruit though…as some have added sugar. My favorites are dried cranberries, pomegranate, apples, pears, figs, dates, prunes, raisins
NUTS - almonds, walnuts, cashews, peanuts, soy nuts (Super Soy nuts from the Lee Family Farm in Northeasr Iowa), http://www.soynuts.com/groupdisplay.asp?id=3 I use the cranberry crunch. I also like their honey mustard soy nuts and sometimes will do a salty mix with can of unsalted mixed nuts, honey mustard soy nuts, pretzels and chex cereal. This is the best bang for your buck soy nut mix on the market, and it just happens to be grown and packaged in our own backyard!
Seeds etc. : sunflower, pumpkin
OPTIONAL - m&m’s any version, sometimes I use the dark chocolate and sometimes I use the pretzel. Either or neither…whatever you like. Even yogurt covered raisins or dark chocolate covered fruit is good. I wouldn’t put in more than a half a cup of chocolate though.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Cereal - right out of the box! Pour in half to 3/4’s of each box.
Fruit - 12 oz
Nuts - 16 oz of soy nuts (entire bag), then about cup of almonds, cup of walnuts, cup of peanuts, cup of cashews
Seeds - 1/2 cup of sun, 1/2 cup of pumpkin
Chocolate Fix - use your discretion
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Enjoy!
Lesleh
Posted Dec 10th 2010 8:14AM by Lesleh
We found Elvis...and then some!
Las Vegas is well worth your time! We had such a great time running the Half Marathon December 5th. Sunshine, Brenda and I all started in Corral 8 (there were 32 corrals…and approximately 25,000 runners). I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the course…which takes you down the Las Vegas Strip, into Old Las Vegas and then back to Mandalay Bay. There were lots of folks cheering us on, a crowd of people at a local watering hole in old town were offering up beverages to those who needed a little hair of the dog…(happy to say that did not apply to any of us!). We hung out with Elvis, were serenaded by Bret Michaels at the finish line party…and topped it all off with a visit to the Precious Sluts Tattoo Parlor so Sonia could commemorate all her racing with a new tattoo. In the photo below is one of the gals that shopped in our booth at the expo. She wore her runner girl on her cheek for 26.2! Way to go!
cheeky marathoner
RunGirlRun Girlfriend Top and Skort!
As usual we try to visit with the women that buy our apparel…here are a couple of our Run Girl Run patrons! So many stories go along with the accomplishment of finishing a marathon. I have no photo because we didn’t find each other, but my neice Heather and her Husband Mark completed their first (and perhaps only) marathon in great time!
Wow! You did it!
The post race concert was none other than Bret Michaels…The Rock of Love. He was outstanding! Quite fitting really, he endured a lot this year!
The one and only Bret Michaels!
Sonia was all set to get her tattoo done on the Strip. I however insisted that we find the Precious Slut Tattoo Parlor. I saw their advertisements on cabs all over the city and thought it was worthy of a visit. We dropped off our shipment on Monday…and then found our destination. The place was awesome, clean, open…bright. They artists who worked there were articulate, considerate and personable. She set herself in the chair and 20 minutes later she was marked for life!
Sunny with a chance of pain!
The final Product was a Tattoo written in Greek that means Long Distance Runner…though if Sunshine doesn’t get to the Orthopedist it is a little more like the Long Distance Limper!
Finally, we all had the pleasure of going to a show with a college friend of Sonia’s…(she has all the hook-ups). Penn and Teller. The show was at the Rio and we actually played a little part in it. Brenda has all the photos on her phone and and we are having some trouble getting them from her…but I promise when she stops making up for the time she was away from work, I will upload them. Teller does speak and when he spoke to us…he called us his Muses! Duh…of course we are!
Well, that’s it. That’s all I’ve got for 2010. I’m going to lay low until January - when the races begin again. Look for us at the Disney Marathon Weekend.
Happily Holidays,
Lesleh Anderson Heim
Posted Sep 27th 2010 2:46PM by Lesleh
Just back from the Nashville Women’s Half Marathon which was organized by the folks at Women’s Running Magazine. I am making an attempt to run 4 half marathons in 5 weeks, which for those of you who run full marathons is not really that great a feat. I unfortunately still battle with time to train, so getting 5 halfs in is a bit of a push.
First on my agenda was the Philadelphia Rock and Roll Half. I ran with Sonia Walsh, ( some of you hear me refer to her as Sunshine)…she is on a mission to do 3 in 4 weeks. Her Father and Step Mom, Ted and Vicky - were our fabulous race support team in Philly and treated us to a Phillies game when we completed our run. Pictured here Vicky, Lesleh, Sonia and Ted!
This was the perfect finish to a pretty fabulous run. The Philadelphia Rock and Roll Half was a nice race course, first meandering through the downtown area and then out into Fairmont Park along the Sckuykill River. Both Sunshine and I want to return there next year and try to improve our times!
This past weekend in Nashville was another great race course. Personally I woke up after working the expo for two days with an empty tank. I was tired and whining and really didn’t feel much like lacing up my shoes. I kept repeating to myself the committment I had made to get 4 halfs completed in 5 weeks…and headed to the starting line. It was such a fun atmosphere to have such a wonderful group of women in the corrals. Everyone looked awesome, and no one pushed and shoved. Very ladylike this group…lol. Jodi Messina got our engines started with the National Anthem line only she can do!
Working the event and running the event along with me was our other Run Girl Run “Sonja”…who resides in Kentucky but comes to us from Vienna, Austria. Sonja is a triathlete and is very involved with Team in Training. Having just completed the Nations tri a couple weeks ago, with a PR ~ neither of us were feeling all that excited about racing on Saturday…the expo had been a non-stop busy event and it can be exhausting. However…as the pictures prove we did indeed make it to the starting line.
..as well as the finish line I am happy to say.
This is Sonja looking absolutely amazing in her run girl run tank and skort!
We did finish respectably, and I really loved the course in Nashville, it was hilly and scenic. I tend to get a little bored when the course is flat. Seems longer to me. The women were fantastic…and the organizers did a great job.
This coming week Sonia (Iowa, Sunshine) and I are heading to Disney for the Wine and Dine Half Marathon. This will be an exercise in endurance for sure…the race begins at 10 p.m. after a two day expo. FolLowing the race is a party at Epcot until 3 a.m. We will report on the wine and whether or not we were left whining. I know I know….shut up and run! !
Be sure to visit the booth at the Wine and Dine…we have adorable new pink stemmed wine glasses with running charms! Fabulous!
Posted Jun 21st 2010 11:22AM by Lesleh
This is a guest post from one of my best friends. It’s long - indulge her your time, because she loves to talk…and write and quite honestly she has something fabulous to offer to the world. Here is a little piece of my favorite ~ Sunshine!
I was an active little kid. Small, quick, full of lots of energy. ALWAYS outside. It was the 70s, kids didn’t stay in.
At the end of the summer the year I was about 4 ½ years old, I went for a bike ride with my dad. I went for lots of bike rides with my dad, there was just a little newspaper rack on the back of his bike I sat on and held on tight. This time though I couldn’t find my shoes so I went without.
We were out in the countryside when my foot got caught in the spokes and everything went into slow motion. All I remember is my dad turning around, throwing the bike and then everything went black. Then I regained consciousness and there was a towel around my foot, hanging over a bucket half full of blood. Soon thereafter I was having surgery at Dover Air Force Base having cut my heel almost completely off save for a small piece of tissue hanging on at the bottom of my foot. I had completely severed my Achilles tendon.
I remember a few post-accident details:
The people in my neighborhood bought us a bike seat.
I got tons of toys in the hospital.
And the doctors told my parents I might not walk quite right again.
Aside from a pretty nifty scar, I didn’t just walk, I ran. By the time I was in high school, I enjoyed some success during track doing sprints, 100s and 200s were my preferred distances. Which is funny, that’s hardly any distance at all. I was short and speedy.
And that was that. I kind of thought of running as something that would remain a part of my past. A thing to do in high school. College is too busy, then I got married and had gobs of babies, who has time to run when you have small children? Not me…I didn’t bother.
When my boys were toddlers (my girls didn’t exist yet) I did run a couple years with a friend, nothing more than some 5Ks, but having somebody to motivate me was good. Then I had two more babies and didn’t think about running anymore.
Fast forward to January 2009. A friend who had moved to Arizona talked to another friend and myself about coming down there to do the PF Chang Rock N’ Roll Half in Phoenix in January 2010. With a year to prepare, we said sure.
But then I kind of panicked. A HALF MARATHON. What the hell was I thinking? I was a sprinter, not a distance runner! Nothing sounded less fun than running 13.1 miles ON PURPOSE. But I’d made the verbal commitment and humiliation was enough of a motivating factor to get me to start researching workouts, diet, what shoes to buy, how to train, etc. March 2009 my other friend and I went together to get fitted for shoes and once the spring weather hit, I was starting to train.
My training slacked over the course of a busy summer but then once the kids started school in mid-August I was hardcore running the four days per week according to my training schedule, gradually increasing my mileage each week.
At this time, several things happened all at once. For the first time in almost 14 years, I was “alone”. After being a stay-at-home mom to four children for all that time, my “baby” was in Kindergarten. I began to examine my life, where I’d been and where I’m going, in a new way. It was the first time I had the opportunity to do so. And as you runners know, all those miles means a lot of time spent in your own head. I was at the beginning of a personal evolution of which I was completely unaware, and I’d not even crossed the finish line of my first race.
Running became my solace. Running was what made sense in the middle of a crazy world. Running was the only thing I had control over. If I had to miss a few days running, I could sense becoming restless and moody. I reached the point where I NEEDED running to stay sane.
I talked about running with both runner and non-runner friends. By the time I ran my first race, the Women’s Running Magazine Half Marathon in St. Petersburg, Florida the weekend before Thanksgiving of 2009, I had dozens of well wishes, emails and texts both heading out to the race and congratulating me on my finish. It was a massive cheerleading squad and it felt awesome to have so much support.
Another important step in my personal running evolution was working for Run Girl Run. One of my best pals Lesleh encouraged me to come with her and do the expo and I could not have been more happy with what I learned from that process.
Before that first race, I’d built up a pretty awesome level of intimidation about my running and feeling like I must be an idiot to think I could run a half marathon despite my diligent training. Then I met the women at the expo who’d be my running sisters for that first race. They were young, and old, and everything inbetween. They were short and tall. They were stick thin and full of curves. There were newbies like myself and there were women who’d been running for decades. My notion that everyone was going to be some six-pack abs, no body fat, Olympic athlete was blown out of the water.
But the encouragement I got from the powerful sisterhood of women was incredible. Upon hearing it was going to be my first race, I got hugs, and tips, and one girl started jumping up and down, yelling, “Then you’ll definitely get a PR!”
I finished that first race with a time of 2:22:03. My goal had been to be under 2 ½ hours so I was glad to do that especially because I had no way to gauge how well I was doing being so early in my running training.
I learned a lot from that first race experience. I learned to deal with my uneven stride, a nifty side effect from that bike injury from my childhood. I learned to deal with a knee problem, no doubt a result of being a nationally competitive cheerleader during high school. I learned about pacing and hydration. I learned that if I set a goal for myself, even one that seems kind of impossible, I can do it, ALL BY MYSELF.
By January 2010, the time for the PF Chang Rock N’ Roll Half, I was really ready. I’d spent December and January doing all my miles on the treadmill. Those friends who’d made the pledge with me to reach this goal…we did the race. Dawn and I stayed together the entire course of the race. I felt great, so great at the end of the race I felt like I could have kept going. The PF Chang race is when that race euphoria really kicked in for me. The beginning with it’s heady anticipation. The last couple miles when you know you’re almost finished and you get a kick. The adrenalin I get from running races has to be better than any drug, it is so intense. I improved my time finishing with a 2:11:28. One month to the day later I lost my first toenail. Gross to you, but super exciting for me!
My 3rd race was the Disney Princess Half where, again, I worked with Lesleh doing the Expo for Run Girl Run and, again, had that sisterhood experience from all those women who’d be running by my side during the race. I was hoping to break the two hour mark but with an insanely busy Expo where Run Girl Run was absolutely hammered for two solid days and leaving for Epcot at 4AM in order to be in our corrals by start time, I was working against some pretty hefty fatigue. I finished with a 2:04:06. But I’m OK with that, I got my picture in front of the castle and Disney does up a pretty kick ass medal. Not to mention, running with people dressed up as every Disney character you can think of could not be more fun. I kept pace behind a tiny little Latino woman who was rocking an incredible Tinkerbell costume…she definitely gave me some great pixie dust motivation for getting thru those tough middle miles.
It was at the Disney Princess Expo where I started getting some self confidence with my running. Now, when I started training regularly, I wasn’t fat but neither was I as toned as I could have been. But friends did start to notice a physical change in my body. Truthfully, since I started running, I’ve only lost about 4-5 pounds, but my body has changed and toned. Still, though, as a woman, it is so hard to let go of some body issues and insecurities. I’m 38-years old. I’ve had four children. Now, I was petite back in high school when I was wearing very short cheerleading skirts, but I never was stick thin, I’ve always had curves and I’ve always had some junk in the trunk and big, strong thighs.
I have pretty much always worn pants or capris when I run because I’m self conscious about my legs. I just thought, hey, NOBODY wants to see these flabby, pasty legs. Then Lesleh FORCED me to put on a running skort when I was working the RGR booth. I was fairly mortified until she told me that my issues were just that, MY issues. Nobody else was thinking I was fat or gross or whatever.
And the more I’ve thought about it, the more I’ve had the next step on my running journey. I don’t have the perfect body. But I’m getting OK with it. I’m in better shape than I was when I started running, I feel like I’m the healthiest I’ve been in my life because, as opposed to when I was a teenager, I have a much healthier diet. And after running with women who are cancer survivors and running with women who are morbidly obese but determined to finish 13.1 miles even if they are dead last….well, it just seems all kinds of stupid to worry about some cellulite.
So, screw it, I’m wearing the damn skirt.
Running has given me much more than I could have ever imagined. It is truly the first thing I’ve done in my whole life completely and totally for myself, by myself. No one tells me when to run, or how. I’m not running to make anyone proud, I’m running to make myself proud. I’m the one who crosses the finish line.
I feel like I’m finding out who I really am along this running journey. I never took the time to bother doing that before. Running really has very little to do with moving yourself as quickly as you can from point A to point B. It’s so much more than that, as only anyone else who runs can truly understand.
I may have a serious hitch in my giddy-up as a result of that bike accident, but at least I’m letting my giddy-up go! And someday, I’ll break that 2-hour mark, wearing the brightest running skirt on the planet!