Here at last..

Morning blogger friends, its here at last, I leave tomorrow for Mount Shasta! Wow, time flew by once again. As I sit here and look back, I think of all  the people I have met and spoken with. Reporters who found interest in my journey, Bollingbrook, Suburban Life, Lisle Suburban Life, Naperville Sun and yesterday the Chicago Tribune. People who would come up to me while training and ask me where I'm headed, the tears as they share there Breast Cancer story, the thank-you's, the prayers and well wishes, its been incredible... and not to mention all the tears that streamed down my face.To think there is more yet to come as I summit.


I was asked yesterday by the reporter from the Chicago Tribune if I was nervous, "No, can't say I am", I said. "I made a promise to myself to show up as strong as I can. There are two things I have no control over and that is weather and elevation, why  waste energy on it, I can say I'm very excited".

I am so very humbled, and blessed for all the people in my life. Monday night I was meeting a few friends of mine for a "send off" dinner. I walk in the restaurant and 12 of my family and friends were sitting there, surprise!!.... how lucky am I!! It was a great "send off".

I will be meeting my "Roomie", Jill, and the airport tomorrow in California. Though we've only met once, spoke on the phone once, and a few texts back and forth, I feel like I have known her forever.

We 27 "Climbers" do share a special friendship, I look forward to Sunday evening when we have our opening Ceremony and all will be there.

Know that I will be praying for you all as I reach for the top of Mount Shasta. It is said that the mountain is a very powerful, spiritual, and has tremendous energy. First, I am going to thank the mountain for inviting me, then I will be asking the mountain to fill me with its magic to help me summit.


   

Last hike before my Climb with my "Mountain Mentor". I can't believe this man has summited 50 -14ers,that's mountaineer talk. That means he has climbed 50 mountains at the elevation of 14 thousand feet above sea level and has 3 more to go to. And to think I'm at my first...gees, I have a long way to go to catch up.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, "Mountain Mentor is the reason I am as strong as I am today to summit"!

Last training  at Swallow Cliff with my sister Sue. Thank you Sue for always joining me when you were able too, love ya!! You "rocked" those stairs when you never thought you would be able too!!

As I come to a close for now, know that I will do my very best to complete the summit. I am happy my journey is here and look forward to sharing with you my experience when I return. Until next time,

Be well my friends, love you all!!


"You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore".-Christopher Columbus

Less than two weeks and counting

Hello friends, yup, less than two weeks and counting. A little nervous but very EXCITED!!

Training has been going well except for today....rain, rain and more rain. Next week I will be tapering ( I hope), that always seems to be the hardest for me. I always ask myself, " Did I train enough, did I push enough, did I, did I?? etc."

I feel ready, I have worked hard, as I'm sure all the "Climbers" have.

Here I am with my two friends, "Mountain Mentor", Tarek Husayni and Boulder at Water fall Glen, hiking a beautiful nine mile loop. I can't say it enough...without his guidance I don't know if I would be as ready to "Summit" as I am today. I have been picking his brain for many months on training, food, water, etc. This particular lesson was on breathing at high altitude. He's a humble man, so when I mention how terrific he has been to me, he changes the subject.



                                                                

I have met the most interesting people on this journey of mine. With my 40lb. backpack and my walking sticks, people always come up to me and ask what I'm training for. This particular day my sister, Sue, and I met up with a gal named Joanna. She is a Mountaineer and I was telling her all about the Breast Cancer Fund and Climb Against the Odds 2014.The very next day I happened to bump into her at Swallow Cliff (stairs). She said that she hasn't stopped thinking about the "Climb". Yup, I think I found a climber for 2015. I let her know that I'm here to help in any way I can.

 

On Monday, Memorial Day I met my good friend Bern at Swallow Cliff for a morning of stairs. We bumped into Mel and Dave, what a great couple they are, chatted a bit then continued.  Between the heat and the crowds, unfortunately after 17 repeats I need to go home. I wasn't feeling well and I knew better than to continue. The very next day I returned and completed 30 repeats with my 40lb pack..hooray!!


 

You are looking at my training hill in Lisle, a ski hill. It doesn't look like much but believe me, it's a decent hill. I come here once a week for a 40 repeat with my 40lb pack, walking sticks, water, food and my good friend, my I pod. As I continued with my hill, up and down, up and down, a young gal came up to me and asked me what I'm training for, once again I tell my story. Courtney is her name,this young face, also a Breast Cancer survivor. I am climbing for you too Courtney!!

 

I am so very humbled, as of today my total donations are at $12,107.50, my goal was $6000.00. Thank-you my special friends!!

 

" Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away" .....May Angelou