Sister of EFY Visionary Prepares to Run in Her Honor

October 14, 2013:

Well, October 13 – RACE DAY – has come and gone, AND I DID IT! I ran a 5K for the first time! Crossing that finish line was the thrill of a lifetime. I have had such tremendous support from family, friends, co-workers and my trainer. Kristy offered encouragement when I needed it, and convinced me I could do this race. All of the hard work and dedication over the past 10 weeks paid off on Sunday, October 13, 2013. 

I hope all of you got a chance to participate on Sunday, and enjoy the beautiful day; it was glorious. It was the perfect day for a run, and run we did! I would like to thank all of you for your words of encouragement and support, especially Kristy Butterfield from Sisters Health Club – I could not have done this without you!

I believe I have been bitten by the “run bug,” I plan to run again next year! See you in 2014!

September 26, 2013:

Ok, I am into my 8th week of training at Sister’s Health Club with Kristy Butterfield. This has been and will continue to be a rewarding experience for me. I can get up at 5 a.m. every other day, run on the trail, do yoga or core training afterwards and begin my day with a smile. Sure, there have been days I would rather take a nap on the sofa, get a massage, or just be lazy and eat doughnuts. Not going to happen. The side benefit of training has been that my appetite is not the same; I've lost nearly 10 pounds and inches! I feel great – ready for a new day each and every morning.

I so appreciate all the support I have received from all of you, family and friends. We are on the countdown to race day – only 16 days to October 13th. I believe I will be ready! Come join me on Saturday, October 12th at Sisters Health Club for the Open House, and I want to see all of you on Sunday, October 13th – RACE DAY! We can and are making a difference!

September 17, 2013:

There are only four weeks left until race day! I have been working steadily with my trainer, and all is going well. Stretching is very important after each workout. I have been having an issue with the piriformis muscle, which is one of six muscles in the lateral rotator group. This is a common issue with runners. Did I say runners? Yes, I did! I am now a runner – I never thought I would see the day!

I have discovered yoga is marvelous, and really helps with stretching and relaxation after a run! The child's pose is one of my favorites. I can bow to my trainer, yoga instructor, and stretch out the piriformis muscle all at the same time. Love it.

Come join me on Sunday, October 13th, at Mercy Medical Center for the Especially For You Race Against Breast Cancer. You can do it!

September 9, 2013:

There is this hill on the trail that I have been training on; it has been my nemesis since day one. There is a breathing technique called “belly breathing,” where you fill up your lungs as much as possible then let it all out in one big whoosh! This is what I had to learn to control to conquer my “hill.” I finally did that this past week thanks to my training with Kristy Butterfield. It was a milestone for me!

I have been training for the past five weeks, and have seen improvement each week with my endurance. Endurance is what this training is all about for me. Running is not a team sport – it is only you out there on that trail. You must push through and endure, find your comfortable stride and breathe – breathe – breathe. Keep on running and don’t forget to breathe. See you on October 13th!

August 30, 2013:

I have just completed my third week of getting up at 5 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday and meeting with my awesome trainer from Sister’s Health Club, Kristy Butterfield. We are doing interval training, which consists of fast-paced walking, running and walking to recover from the running! We get back to the gym and work on core. I have realized a strong core is key to balance and that “overall good feeling” we are striving for!

I am learning to listen to my body; sometimes, it tells me to slow down and relax. I did just that one day after a workout and had a massage! It was wonderful. I want to thank Jody Wohlers for her healing hands. I felt GREAT the rest of the day. I will keep you updated on the weeks to come. Please join me on Sunday, October 13^th for the Especially for You Race Against Breast Cancer!

August 26, 2013:

August 20, 2013:

To let you know how serious I am about running the Especially for You Race Against Breast Cancer on October 13th, I have had to rearrange my entire morning! I am not a morning person, repeat: not a morning person. Just ask my husband, family or coworkers. I am now getting up at 5:00 a.m. (it is still dark out) and meeting with my trainer on the trail by 5:30 a.m. (it is still dark out). Kristie, my trainer, was concerned for our safety at that time of the morning, hence wearing the headlamps while we run! By the time we are finished and heading back to the gym, the sun is starting to come up and I am able to say "hi" to fellow runners on the trail with a smile!

The training is going very well, even running in the dark. I am learning a lot about listening to your body, and there are some days my body is "screaming" at me. But, it is a good "scream;" I feel great and ready to tackle each day. More to come as I continue my training journey – wish me luck.

~ Cindy

August 13, 2013:

Many of you may not know the connection I have with Especially For You.  My younger sister was Sandy Knight, the inspiration behind the “Especially For You” Race Against Breast Cancer. Sandy’s death in 1991 was the catalyst that brought a group of volunteers together from Mercy Medical Center, General Mills, and our family to organize a fund raiser for women who were suffering from breast cancer and financial hardship. The “Especially For You” Race Against Breast Cancer was conceived from passion, love, courage and a deep desire to help women in need. The very first race was held in October 1991, just a few short months after Sandy’s death. The rest is history, we are now about to celebrate our 23rd race on Sunday, October 13, 2013.

Earlier this year I made a personal commitment to honor my sisters Sandy Knight and Chris Murphy, who died of Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2009. I am training to run at this year’s event October 13th. I am not a runner! I have always walked each year, but never thought I could actually run a 5K. Well all of that is about to change.

I am working with a trainer now to help me achieve my goal of running in October. I had been working on my own up until late June, when my husband and I went on the vacation of a lifetime to Hawaii for two weeks. Even though we were very busy with our sightseeing, I did manage to get in a run or two on Maui. I will keep you updated as to my progress with training for a 5K. More to come later.

~ Cindy