2013 Year in Pictures

Happy New Year! I'm a bit late for the calendar New Year but I'm just in time for Lunar New Year. Whoo hoo for the Year of the Horse!

 

2013 was a big year full of a lot of races, a bit of travel, a lot of doctor's appointments ... and best of all a wedding! The wedding and surrounding trip to Maui was the highlight of my year, and I'm excited to be starting 2014 as Mrs. Allen.

 

 

2013 Races

In 2013 I ran five 5Ks, one 4 mile run, one 10K, two 15Ks, 3 half marathons, 2 full marathons, and was the runner in one triathlon relay.

January - Resolution Run 15K
(first race during chemo)

 

 

 

 February - Cardiff Kook Run 5K

 February - Mermaid Half Marathon
(first long race during chemo)

 (Cardiff Kook & Mermaid Half Recap)

March - LA Marathon 

(Marathon #19, first during chemo)

 (LA Marathon Recap)

June - San Francisco Half Marathon

 (San Francisco Half Marathon Recap)

 

June - Los Angeles Brain Tumor 5K

July - Coronado 15K

 

August - End of Summer Fire Run 4 Miler

(first race with Devika!)

October - San Diego Brain Tumor 5K

(Team Mokie representing!) 

(Brain Tumor 5K Recap) 

 

 

October - Long Beach Marathon

(20th marathon, 2nd during chemo)

October - Long Beach Marathon with Barb

(Long Beach Marathon Recap)

 October - Esprit de She Triathlon Relay

(participated as the runner)

(Esprit de She Recap) 

November - Silver Strand Half Marathon

(Team Minion for the win!)

(Silver Strand Half Marathon Recap)  

November - Hagerstown Turkey Trot 5K

December - Jingle Bell 5K

 

 

 December - Hot Buttered Run 10K

We made the news!

I also participated in one non-endurance event called Over the Edge which involved rappelling 365 feet down the side of a building while raising money for brain cancer research.

 

 

Over the Edge for Brain Cancer Research 

(Over the Edge Event Recap) 

2013 Giving

Speaking of fundraising, in addition to the $1225 that I raised for Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure for the Over the Edge event, Tara and I also raised $2310 for brain cancer research for the Kesari Lab, and also returned for the fifth season as a $500 Mile Marker Sponsor for the Girls on the Run San Diego 5K via our tutu business Glam Runner.

Selling Tutus at the GOTR 5K 

2013 Travel
This past year I traveled a lot less than usual, and visited:

• San Francisco, CA (2 times)
• West Allis, WI (1 time)
• Las Vegas, NV (1 time)
• Nashville, TN (1 time)
• Maui, HI (1 time)
• Shepherdstown, WV (3 times)
• New York, NY (1 time)

 

 

Easter in San Francisco 

 

 

 Carlson Reunion in Wisconsin

(Two Weeks in Wisconsin recap) 

Stupid Cancer Conference in Vegas

(OMG Cancer Summit Recap)  

Getting Married in Maui

Marrying the Love of My Life

 (Wedding Recap)

 

Wedding Celebration Part 2 in West Virginia

 (Wedding Celebration Part 2 Recap)

2013 Cancer Fun

I spent the majority of this year going through treatment for my wonderful brain cancer, and had bi-monthly blood tests, monthly (and then some) doctor's appointments, and quarterly MRIs. Over the course of the year my tumor managed to slightly shrink (~5%) and as my body adjusted to each cycle of chemo I got more used to things and felt better each month.

Blood Tests, Blood Tests, Blood Tests

Pills, Pills, and More Pills

 

 

 

December Celebration Dinner

(David's Birthday & My Last Night of Chemo)

 

 

 

Christmas Cookies for My Oncologist

 

 

 

2013 Hair Watch

Most important of all this year ... my hair started to grow back! Half of it was shaved for my Oct 2012 brain surgery and then another ring of it fell out the following month when I went through 6 weeks of radiation. The shaved part started to grow back right away but the part that fell victim to radiation didn't start growing until a few months later. Over the course of the year I had hair extensions to make up for most of what was missing and in November after 11 months of extensions I finally took them out, chopped my hair off (several inches longer than the length of shaved hair growing out underneath), and dyed it back to my natural color. As much as I loved maintaining my full, long hair, I just couldn't deal with the extensions anymore. Neither could my wallet. My shorter hair continues to grow out underneath and I'm hoping that by the end of this year everything will be even again.

 

 

My Hair Sloooooowly Growing Back

Radiation Hair Grew Back in Curly!

Hair Extensions Out, Cut, & Color

2013 Crafting

I dabbled in crafts this year and went to a Paint Nite event with Tara and also relearned how to knit over the holidays with David's mom. My grandmother would be so proud! I obsessively worked on a knit infinity scarf over Christmas and am now the proud owner of a beautiful merino wool creation of my own!

Paint Nite with Tara

Future Picassos

 

 

My First Big Knitting Project

 

2014 Outlook

This coming year will be full of more races, more travel, but fortunately less doctors appointments. I've finished chemo for now and I've started the quarterly MRI "wait and watch" protocol. It is such a relief to be done with chemo, but absolutely TERRIFYING to be going through no treatment at all. At least while I was on the chemo I knew that something was working for me in my corner. Now I have nothing ... but healthy eating, healthy living, exercise, and a good attitude. Which together, really isn't nothing, it is everything I have.

 

I'm looking forward to a great 2014, and hope you have one too!

Marathon #20

About two weeks ago I accomplished a huge personal goal - I completed my 20th full marathon! I had planned to run marathon #19 and #20 in the fall of last year, but cancer had other plans. Fortunately I was able to run the LA Marathon as #19 this year, and just last weekend I ran the Long Beach Marathon as #20. 

Last Long Run By The Coast

I had run this race years ago and liked it for its flat course, scenic route by the beach, and easy access to/from the start line from the surrounding hotels. I was originally training to run this race with Tara who ran the LA Marathon with me, but unfortunately she got injured and had to drop back to the half. My friend Barb who had been training with us but was signed up for the half (because she had the NY Marathon three weeks later) heard that Tara couldn't run with me anymore, and took my plea seriously when I joked that she should upgrade to the full instead. Well, as my mom taught me as a kid - you never know what you're going to get until you ask! And I'm so glad I asked, because Barb ended up running with me! Thank you Barb!

Here are some pictures that tell the story of the race better than words.

Pre-Race Pedicure Tradition

Long Beach Marathon Theme: PINK!

Crafting Time With Iron-Ons

Outfit Complete!

Tara's Long Beach Shirt

Race Morning Breakfast of Champions

30 Minutes Till Race Time!

Best Husband EVER

Bumped Into Blogger Friend Ciry At The Start

Sun Coming Up At Mile 6

No Turning Back Now

We're Halfway Done!

Still Feeling Good 

We've Spotted David!

Best Banana EVER Apparently

20 Miles! Piece of Cake From Here

Who's Got The Spirit? Barb Does! :)

One Mile To Go!

"One More Mile" Sign With Signatures

Found Our Names!

Flying Towards The Finish Line

Marathon 20 - CHECK!

 

20th Marathon, 2nd During Chemo

Me & Barb (Aka Bad Ass Running Buddy)

Blowing My Fitbit's Mind!

Long Beach Marathon Medal

We finished the race at exactly 5:01:00. I wish we could have shaved a minute off! Oh well. This was my 2nd slowest marathon ever, but a 23 minute improvement over my "powered by chemo" LA Marathon, so I was happy.  I've been feeling stronger each month and hopefully I'll be running like I used to at some point in the future.

After the race David and I had a quick lunch in Long Beach before heading back to San Diego to relax and enjoy the rest of our Sunday. As it turned out, the annual neighborhood street festival was going on that afternoon just a few blocks from our house so we went down to check it out and listen to some bands.

Golden Hill Street Fair

Representing My Hood

It's hard now to believe that the marathon wasn't even two weeks ago. It seems like it was so long ago! I have a couple other shorter races planned for the rest of the year and I am already thinking about what marathons I want to run next year. So far I'm signed up for the Maui Marathon in September since the registration fee was only $26 (who could resist?!) and we were already planning on going back to Maui next summer for our one year wedding anniversary. I'm also eying the Napa Valley Marathon in March and have a couple friends who seem interested in that as well. We'll see! For now I will try to revel a bit longer in this accomplishment and try not to dismiss it too quickly before moving onto my next goal. I can't believe I made it to 20! HUGE thanks goes out to Barb for switching to the full marathon at the last minute and running with me the whole way. You are truly a Bad Ass Running Buddy!