October

Happy thanksgiving everyone!
What a busy and amazing month.
I finally sent out the thank you/update letters following the fundraising dinner and emailed the extended family. In the letters we advised everyone that we had reached the $6500 mark but in the past two weeks we received almost $1,500 more in pledge donations with more on the way. We have raised nearly $8,000!
I find myself repeating this line over and over but what an absolute honour this fundraiser has become for me. Thank you for the support you have shown for what I am trying to do. Thank you for the honour you are showing my mother, my grandmother and all those who have dealt with M.S.
I have also been blessed by many people who have taken a moment to share a personal story with me; thank you for the emails, letters and cards as well. I have put them all together for a special 'memory' box that will hang on my wall when the marathon is finished.

So what else is happening in my life? Well I am running.. a lot. My treadmill motor finally gave out but the upside of that is that the weather has been nice for running outside and some people have commented on my tan face! Besides Iuliana my dad has become my other 'trainer'. We set up for my long pratice runs on the Tsawwassen dykes with Dad riding behind me on his bike. We have become very official! He will ride ahead and hand me a water bottle (which I get to drop) so that I don't stop and keep me updated on interval times. I have two 30 km/~ 3 hour practice runs under my belt; my remaining runs will be limited to 10 or 15 km until the marathon.
I can't lie - the runs went fine but I am feeling a little pressure right now to 'excel' on this run (that competitive Fox gene). I am still working through a sciatic nerve problem. So a warning to the three people that read this blog; don't be surprised if my times are (waaaay) over the 4 hour mark. I will use the excuse I have used quite well recently, I am old!! :)
Other than that my big excitement is heading to Alberta with Ralf on the 14th to visit Rachel, Travis and Julia. We will help Julia blow out her first birthday candle - where did the time go?
Eric and Annie had a great Thanksgiving in Ottawa. Between classes Eric made his first turkey dinner with all the fixings for his sister and she was very impressed.
Everyone else is doing fine. Ralf didn't spend his usual Thanksgiving weekend fishing, but he was at the Vedder on Saturday long enough to rescue a young woman who fell out of her kayak. Fishermen were yelling and Ralf waded out, barely catching the edge of her sleeve as she went past. He pulled her to shore and thankfully she was okay but badly shaken after being swept down the river. So he is my hero (and most likely hers!)
So take care everyone - next update later this week. Feel sorry for me as I run the secondary highways out by Tofield all this week - too many big rigs..and please, let there be no snow!!
Talk to you soon
Jan