Seeking Solace in Running in Memory of GG

Have you read "The Fall of Freddie the Leaf" by Leo Buscaglia?



Ever since I was a child, I found comfort in the book.

It's been 8 weeks since our grandma "GG" died.

Our hearts still ache & the pain is intense.

We will continued to run in her memory.



Our grandma was my mom's stepmom

She was only 9 years older than our mom.

She was the age I was when my daughter was born.

She was more like a 2nd mom than a grandmother.



I find solace in running in her memory.

Today it felt like Fall and a beautiful day to run.



I ran 560 miles since June 23,

before I started my run today.



I run to random shuffle on my iPhone.

Random Shufflle = #GGplaylist

Each song has special meaning.

I hope to write more about why.

In the meantime, here are the songs.





































I just had to run 7.8 miles.

Grateful to see 567.8 miles!



We run with Team Lemon.

Running together to support Alex's Lemonade.



We're on the path to the Chicago Marathon.



Do you run in memory of a loved one?

Do you find solace in running?

What path are you on?

Philly Undy 5000 Race Recap

 

What a surprise to get the RT from Katie Couric during the Stand Up to Cancer (SU2C) show on Friday night! Katie is such an inspiration to me. Since Katie lost her husband to colon cancer, I was so grateful for her support of my tweet to bring awareness to the Undy 5000 and grieving families!

I'm still trying to gather my thoughts to write a post, but wanted to share a few photos in the meantime. Also, I wanted to share with you a post from another inspirational mother runner, @MamaDeak. I met Anne through our love for the Afghan Whigs. Through our tweets, I learned that she was also a single mother. I also learned that she recently lost her husband, Joe, age 36, to colon cancer.

Her blog is very touching and inspirational. I hope you will take the time to read her latest post about her experience at the Philadelphia Undy 5000: "Running the Undy 5000".

2012 Philadelphia Undy 5000

09/08/2012

Zoe Eveline Hill

Bib Number: 263

Pace: 15:58

Chip Time: 49:36

Place: 429

Division: F 01-13

Division Total: 11

Division Place: 8

Sex Total: 417

Sex Place: 269

Malinda Ann Hill

Bib Number: 262

Pace: 16:00

Chip Time: 49:41

Place: 430

Division: F 40-49

Division Total: 63

Division Place: 40

Sex Total: 417

Sex Place: 270

Can twins RUN IN Dunkin'?

Written by Leah Connor
Edited by Malinda Ann Hill ;-)

Is you Dunkin' Cup...

Half full?

Half empty?

Don't be 1/2 of anything...
Except 1/2 of TWINS RUN!
TWINS are TWICE the FUN!

Leah is faster twin (that's me!)
(BQ = Boston Qualifier)

Malinda is slower twin.
(Go with the flow slow)

We are Marathon Moms!
(Leah has 2 & Malinda has 1)

We are Masters' Moms!
(We're 41)

Masters' Moms team placed 3rd at Cville's Women's 4 Miler
  
We love to run in costume!
 (Usually princesses, not beverages)

Twincess Runners at runDisney's Princess Half Marathon

Our cups runneth over in caffeine or decaf!

We're ridiculously photogenic in race photos!

We guarantee to get everyone's attention!

"Woo hoo! I just passed a cup of coffee!"

"Wait, didn't I just see a coffee cup pass me?"

"I thought a cup passed me 1/2 an hour ago!"

"Donut tell me, a donut just passed me"

"WTC*?!?, A cup just passed me!" 
*What the Cup

I could be caffeinated.
My twin could be decaf.

I could be a latte.
My twin could be a Dunkaccino®.

I could be a cup of caffeinated heaven.
My twin could be an irresistable donut.

We're the perfect pair!

OK, to be perfectly honest, I also want to wear a costume & still finish under 4 hours, passing runners (including my Physical Therapist!) whilst tweeting and facebooking along the way!

The Marine Corps Marathon holds a special place in both my heart and my twin's because it was the first marathon for each of us (2007 for me and 1995 for her).

I ran the MCM 3 times, but despite finally qualifying for the Boston Marathon this year (3:38:04), my best MCM time is 4:28:30. Eeek! I know I can improve on that, especially if I'm sporting the DD costume!

See how happy a cup of DD makes me?!

See how scary we look when we run without DD?!

Before the Danger! Zombies! 5K Run! in Charlottesville

See how Dunkin runs (or doesn't) without us?!

Run for Autism 5K

Seriously, you couldn't ask for better PRs!
Public Relations & Personal Records

How about this PR campaign?

TWINS RUN IN DUNKIN'

at Marine Corps Marathon for PRs

Who will win?

Regular or Decaf?
Hot or Iced?

Dunkaccino® or Latte?

Donut or Coffee?

VOTE NOW!

We'll create excitement leading up to race day!
We'll build a larger following on social media!
We'll have fun with friendly twin competition!

What do you think?

Please COMMENT by 9/10!

We'll share your support with judges!

As always, thanks for your support!

TWINs RUN IN Dunkin'

"Run in the Cup!"

Special Dunkin' Donuts Contest

Marine Corps Marathon

twins run WITHOUT Dunkin'
(Before Danger! Zombies! 5K Run! in Cville)

twins run ON Dunkin'
(During the 2009 Philadelphia Marathon)

twins run IN Dunkin'

(Dunkin' cup ran PR at Run for Autism 5K in Cville)

Dunkin' Donuts, a proud sponsor of the MCM, is making available the unique opportunity for one runner to participate in "The People's Marathon" while wearing the Dunkin' cup costume. Will our enthusiasm convince DD to make available the unique opportunity for 2 TWIN RUNNERS? We could both wear the Dunkin' cup costume. Or, one twin could wear the cup and the other could wear the donut - the perfect pairing! :-)

The MCM was 1st marathon for both twins!

Malinda ran in 1995 & she ran 6 more!
Leah ran in 2007, 2008 & 2009 & 15 more!

If only one twin can win, which one?
Each twin has her own unique characteristics.
Malinda, is the "go with the flow" slow(er) 1/2.
Malinda prefers to run in costume & #TweetAndRun!
If Malinda can run 1/2 marathons as Queen of Hearts,
running in the cup would be a piece of cake (donut)! ;-)

Will @TwinsRun IN Dunkin'?
Which TWIN should be IN?

Cyber ChEAR Squad

Malinda at 2011 Disneyland Half Marathon

We couldn't run the Disneyland Half Marathon on Sunday, September 2, but it was fun to follow the pre-race, race and post-race excitement on Twitter! We were tweeting & RT'ing with all the runDisney enthusiasts and it was awesome! It was great to be a part of the unofficial runDisney "Cyber ChEAR Squad" community on Twitter and Facebook! We can't wait for the next runDisney race - the Tower of Tower 10 miler - so we can do it all again! :-)

Were you part of the Cyber ChEAR Squad?

Did you #TweetAndRun during the race?

Will you #TweetAndRun during your next race?

Just a few examples of our Cyber ChEAR Squad tweets!

2010 Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge

I ran my 1st Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge in 2010. It was unseasonably cold in Florida. There was even sleet during the Half Marathon on Saturday! Fortunately, it was only cold on Sunday - and I was glad I had made a cap with my Minnie Mouse ears to keep my ears warm! :-) 

My twin sister, Leah, had stress fractures in her foot so she couldn't complete the challenge with me. However, she did walk the marathon in a boot cast! And, in 2012 she did complete her 1st Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge with remarkable speed! 

We hope to run our 2nd Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge together in 2013 to support Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer in memory of Michael and our grandma, GG!

Have you completed the Challenge?

Are you up to the Challenge in 2013?

Malinda Ann Hill (Age 38)

Walt Disney World Half Marathon

2:38:45

9,107 / 17,492 (Overall)

4,459 / 9,966 (Women)

Walt Disney World Half Marathon

5:12:17

8,770 / 17,283 (Overall)

3,627 / 8394 (Women)

Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge

7:51:02

252 (Age) - 1,134 (F) - 3,242 (Overall)

Source: Goofy 2010 Race Results Data

Below are a few race photos by Brightroom
More photos in my Photo Book on Shutterfly!

Charlottesville Women's 4 Miler

Ready to run in Team Sparkle

W4M race report (short version) - mp3 player died after 1/2 mile. Lost both contacts in my eyes at 2nd water stop so I ran almost a mile nearly legally blind (-11 is my prescription!). At least I could see in one eye by the last 1/4 mile. Still was my 2nd fastest time. 29:00. 4th in AG, 43 overall.

runleahruncville Garmin data

Masters Moms finished 3rd in Teams

Leah Interviewed by CBS 19 News in Cville