Today was a driving day and I love to take those as a rest day! The team ran 9 miles and we made it to Fort Morgan, CO. We woke up at 4am today, which was our earliest day yet, but I got to see the sunrise! Everyone finished running by 9am, which was crazy, but we needed to get it done before the 102-degree heat. Today the riders had a tough day with some falls. We were able to help out and take one girl to the hospital and she’s okay now. I honestly think the biking is way more dangerous and challenging than our running… I’m not quite sure how they do it. After our run, we stopped at a coffee shop and I got a London Fog to keep me awake for my drive. After that is when we saw and ambulance and hoped it wasn’t for one of our riders. Unfortunately we were wrong. Two groups of riders had a fall at the same time and their van could only be in one place, so we were glad we went to the coffee shop to be there at the right time to go and help the girl who didn’t need an ambulance. She is okay and was back with us within an hour for lunch. The girl that rode in the ambulance will be okay too, but needed to stay in the hospital tonight and hopefully is leaving in the morning. For lunch, we met with a teammate’s parents and they bought us food. I got some chicken tenders and the ranch was delicious. After lunch, we headed to the host and got some showers before heading out to Walmart to get some essentials (I may have gotten another pillow.. I just can’t find the right one!) and ask for food donations. We were able to get some pizzas from Pizza Hut and Dominos for the 31 of us! After that, I led some people in a nice stretch and now here I am ready for sleep with an early morning tomorrow.
0 Comments
Today was TOUGH after our half marathon yesterday, but we did it! I do have a bit of shin pain after our run so that was not good, but tomorrow I have a rest day and I was able to ice it. We made it to Yuma, CO. It was a 10-mile day! It was nice because we actually ran into Colorado together and got a picture with the sign. We also were on the same route as the riders at one point so it was so fun to be with them every once in awhile and they passed us and then we passed them in the van. On our first leg, we saw a turtle on the road and that was cool! I ran with Sydney and Dan today and dedicated my day to 2 of my teammates, Sydney and Greta who are cancer survivors. While we were on the road, we also had 2 trucks honk at us and that was fun (in case you’re worried the shoulder was huge… bigger than any shoulder I’ve seen in PA). After this, we went to Subway again and they donated to us free chips and drinks and then we got our sandwiches. It was very good again. We later cheered on some of the bikers on our way back and pulled over so we could get out of the van. When we got to the host, they were very nice! We laid around for awhile before heading to a couple of houses for a shower. After that, they served us tacos and they were very good! We all split up to go to different houses so we could all have beds!! I slept amazing. The house we stayed in was beautiful and huge. The host designed it himself too. They also gave us towels so I showered again just to experience a real towel rather than my quick dry towel… it was worth it. We also were able to do our laundry which was so nice. We got to talk with our hosts before bed and got to bed a little later than I hoped but we were able to sleep right away. The host shared with us that this is where a most of the corn and beef comes from in the US. We also passed a farm where they have over 130,000 cows... it was honestly a sad sight but crazy to see. Tomorrow I drive, so I end my week with 53.6 miles. Day 13… already in the teens! Today was a half marathon (13 mile) day and I ran with Sydney. We took the run nice and slow and ran it by feel and it was so nice. The hills were a little crazy (yes in Nebraska!) but we did it! I dedicated today to Brian, who is a friend’s brother. Today’s run was a hot one towards the end and we thought we were going to get some shade from a cloud, but then the cloud moved so that was sad. I picked up a rock on the run today because it was my favorite color and very pretty so I figured I’d take a rock as a souvenir. We also passed lots of cows on our run and at one point, two were out of the fence, but when we got closer they ran away because they were scared of us. While we were out running, someone stopped by and donated $100 to the Ulman Foundation for what we were doing, which was so cool. We were running right next to his fields. For lunch, we got Subway donated and it was delicious because I was so hungry! On our way back to the host, we passed the bike riders so we were able to cheer them on as they went up some pretty big hills. Then we headed to the host, which took about an hour and 20 minutes. We stopped at a rest stop on the way there and they gave us free soda! They had both a coke machine and a pepsi machine and I thought that was really cool! I chose pepsi of course! Once we got to the host (a high school), we found that we were going to sleep on the cafeteria floor (probably the worst one yet), but it should be okay. The thing we are really "worried" about is all the large crickets on the floor! So far we've only seen two where we are sleeping, but at least 8 in the showers/hallway. They also had showers but the water pressure was crazy. I would probably rate it second to last. Someone who was working on the school talked to us for about an hour and it was really nice to talk to him. After we were all settled, we went out to a restaurant to share our why (which is why we decided to do 4k and that created a bonding experience for us). We “dressed up” and got a picture while we were there. Everyone seems so nice here. We went into our next time zone so I am already so tired even though its not even 7 here! I think I’ll be going to bed extra early today to keep ahead of the time change. Today I was a navigator for our trip so I sat in the passenger seat and helped with navigation. We made it to Arapahoe, NE. We have the option to take a rest day on these days so I decided to run one leg and then rest the other two. I ran 3 miles today and it felt good and everyone else ran 9 miles. I dedicated my day to Bo, who was a rider’s fiancé that passed away from cancer. The story was so sad. I also dedicated my day to Hollie (Will’s mom) for her birthday. Today’s run went well for everyone and we were reminded the importance of running slow and sticking with the team. We also had a rider run with us today and it was really fun getting to know him. During the run, Dan (the other director), hurt his foot and ended up with plantar fasciitis so he has to rest 48 hours, but we’re grateful that is all it is. We took him to Urgent care and were only there for about an hour so it worked out well. For lunch, we went to Firehouse Subs, and they donated 10 sandwiches for lunch. I got ham and cheese and it was very good! I’ve never had it before so I was really impressed. We also were able to get donations for ice and veggie burgers for dinner tonight from Hyvee and Walmart. To get to the host, we had an hour drive, but thankfully that went by pretty quickly. Originally we were going to camp, but some of our teammates found a church that was willing to let us stay tonight. We were very happy because of how hot it was. I did get a shower at the campsite though and that was nice! For dinner, we had burgers donated so I ate that and then afterwards we went to a bowling place and I just watched for a little bit before heading back. I'm exhausted and I think I am going to go to bed now or at least lay in bed. Tomorrow we have a big day! Another day in the books. Tonight we made it to Kearney, Nebraska. This morning we woke up at 5:30 because we’re with the bike riders now so they start their days a little sooner. We only had 6 miles today, which is one of our lowest mile days. This morning was tough, but as the day went on it got better. Today I dedicated my day to Bill, my close family friend who was like a grandfather to me. We also dedicated our day to TJ, who could pass anytime now from cancer and has lots of connections with the Ulman Foundation. We finished our miles by 10 and then drove to our host who kindly let us in early. For lunch, we were able to go to Qdoba and they provided us with a food donation so we all got to create a bowl. The church is serving us dinner tonight so we don’t have to worry about food donations for tonight. After lunch, I took a shower and unfortunately this wasn’t a great one. It worked though and that’s all that matters. I made a Target run after with some teammates and picked up some running shorts because I lost a pair somehow. My teammates went to the pool after that, but I stayed back to get some much needed rest. I took a 30 minute nap, but am still looking forward to an early bed tonight. When they got back around 4, I decided to do my blog and get the basic needs together for tomorrow (where we camp). After dinner, we're going to do some ice breakers with the riders and get to know them a little better. It was a light day today, but much needed. Day 10 already! We’re in the double digits. Today we made it to Grand Island, Nebraska and had 9 miles this morning. It was a good 9 miles, and we ran on a dirt road together. Two people took a rest day today so the other 5 of us all ran together. Today I dedicated my day to Joan, who is a family relative. At one point during the run we were running past some cows and they all started running with us and mooing. It was so cool. I stopped to take a video because I thought it was really neat that they did that. There were some clouds and wind today during the run so that was much better than yesterday's heat. Last night I told you that I was going to bed as soon as I finished the blog, but instead I went outside and watched some fireworks before bed with some people on the team. We could see so many of them from the parking lot. It was really cool seeing the ones close by and far away. The one photo below shows us sitting in the parking lot while we were watching the photos. For lunch, we went to the town we are staying in and asked for food donations. We found a taco truck and when we were asking someone overheard and offered to buy us tacos instead! It was so kind and the tacos were really good. Tonight the church we are staying at is making us spaghetti dinner so we don’t have to worry about asking for dinner. We are also combining with the bike riders today so we will meet some new faces and be staying with them for the rest of the trip. While we waiting for the bikers to show up we played some basketball and volleyball in the gym. I think today was the hardest day so far! The humidity was 90% and there was no shade on the trails so it was strong sun and 13 miles. We did it though! I may have shed a tear in the middle of the miles because of how hard it felt, but thanks to all of you (yes, you because you’re reading the blogs), I was able to keep going. I honestly wouldn’t be able to do this without all of your support. Feel free to send texts along the way.. they would be greatly appreciated :) We covered a marathon today as a team and a little over 93 miles together. Today I dedicated my day to Cynthia, who is a friend of Brian’s and she donated to our run for food. She currently has stage 4 cancer and is in treatment right now. I was looking forward to dedicating this long day to her. I also dedicated my day to Paula, who is a friend of my teammate, Greta. Max’s friend came with us as well so that was a lot of fun to have someone else join us today. He also offered us lunch again, so we went back to his suite for lunch! We stopped in a shopping center first so I grabbed some mac and cheese from Noodles and Company as well. Tonight, we’re staying at a fire house! It is so cool and reminds me of Station 19 :) We’re staying in the training room and are curious if they’ll get many calls tonight for the 4th of July. As of now, they haven’t had any calls. I got to see the map that they use to see where to go when they get calls and their lounge. We even saw the pole! They’re so nice and I’m excited to be here. It was a relaxing evening tonight, which is greatly appreciated. The firehouse donated us sandwiches for dinner and bagels for breakfast. They gave us so much food and they were excited about it… that made me happy. Four of us did a Dairy Queen run since it was only 5 minutes away and enjoyed some ice cream before headed back. I’m hoping to get to sleep early tonight and three people are already sleeping! Day 8 was a later day and I was the driver so I didn’t get to write the blog yesterday. Yesterday was a good day, but tough emotionally, and I wasn’t expecting to drive so it was a good rest day surprise! Everyone did 7 miles and I was in charge of the 2 and a half hour drive and picking up and dropping off runners :) I dedicated my day to Helen, which was a friend of our host’s daughter. She had cancer when she was younger and then overcame it, but it came back and she is having a difficult time with it currently. For lunch, we were able to get a feast from Cracker Barrel! They donated so much for us for dinner and we were stuffed. I was so grateful for that. We ate under a tree in the parking lot 4k style :) After lunch and running we went to our camp site for the night which was at a tubing place with a lake. We set up our tents and sleeping areas and then went for a swim in the lake. It was so much fun swimming in the lake and it was beautiful and felt so good. We swam for about half an hour before I headed in to a real camp shower (make sure to check out the picture). I actually enjoyed the shower, but when I was done a bunch of bugs bit me so I had to get out quick! For dinner, my teammate, Max, had a friend invite us over for dinner. He cooked two big plates of pasta and rice for us. It was delicious. We later realized that it was supposed to thunderstorm really badly that night so his friend and his roommates offered for us to stay at his place. We all crammed into a tiny room and after waking up to the crazy thunder and insane amounts of lightening in the middle of the night, lets just say we were more than grateful! As we drove home from picking up the tents, we saw so many fireworks all over the place over Nebraska (we’re in Omaha) and it was so cool! We probably saw like 20 different firework shows just as we were driving because the ground was so flat. It reminded me of the time when gram and I saw 4 firework shows at her house all at once before they built new houses. As soon as it was possible yesterday I put my head on my pillow and fell asleep immediately. The sleeping pad seems to get more comfortable each night. Today was a tough day physically, but we made it to Des Moines! I think everyone is starting to feel it and we are all definitely sore and tired. I’m hoping to get to bed early tonight so I can be ready for the next day! I ran with Sydney, Jane, and Dan today and it was a fun group with lots of pictures. We ran 8 miles on a beautiful trail with some nice views. (Fun fact while I was writing this earlier I fell asleep in the middle so now I’m finishing it up now… I’m that tired!) Today I ran for Will’s mom, Hollie, as my dedication. Before starting our run, we met some people who were getting ready to bike on the trail and shared with them our story. The girl shared about her brother who she lost when she was 12 and he was 10 to cancer. We remembered him today on our run as well. While we were on the road the other day, someone donated to our venmo account and later shared with us through comments that they were on their way home from their grandma’s funeral, who she lost from cancer, and it felt like a sign that her grandma was there with her while she was experiencing such a sad time. I thought that was really cool and amazing that just our van driving on the road was even able to impact lives. For lunch, we went into the small town and an Irish pub was willing to donate lunch to us! It was so kind and we even got to sit down at the restaurant. I got a cheeseburger and fries and it was really good. We got to our host shortly after that and have been enjoying our time here! They are so kind and got us lots of food and made us more burgers for dinner. I am definitely stuffed for today. I used a massage gun to help my muscles and am feeling a lot better and ready for tomorrow. Now time for sleep (at 8:30pm) for me! Today was a good day back on the road! I have some nice blisters so those aren’t too fun, but we did 9 miles today and they felt good! They were faster today because I was with the faster group, so that was nice but also included a bit of a challenge. This morning we left Mary and said goodbye to her and the kids. It was sad and we definitely shed some tears as she told us about friends she lost and the kids they left behind. I tried to hold back the tears as she shared she won’t be here when her kids are our age, but because we’re there they know that they always have someone to call and a huge support group. We had a little dance party before going and it was so fun! They also wrote their names on our legs for the dedication for today. I dedicated today to Mary, our host, but also to my grandma again because she had chemo yesterday and I’m so proud of her for being so strong. Last night the kids also added some more decorations to our van with the window markers so it has even more on it now :) On our run today we ran on the trail that Mary’s husband takes care of and keeps so that was really fun to see! It was a beautiful trail. There were also lots of chipmunks that ran across the trail as we were going. At one point we saw 5 at once. After our run for the day, we went into a grocery store to ask for a donation for lunch. Unfortunately they weren’t able to give us a donation because the store manager wasn’t in, but we met someone named Mike and were able to share with him our story and what we were doing. He was so nice and even decided to buy us all a drink (like coffee and smoothies!) I got a cherry limeade smoothie and it was delicious. We ended up buying some bread and had peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, which I think just taste a lot better on the road after a long run! We had an ‘exciting’ adventure when we went to get gas and someone backed their trailer into us even with honking! Thankfully the gas station had witnesses and we were able to call the police and get it figured out and get back on the road. Our team worked really well together which was really great and everything was handled well! I also was able to call Ulman and get it all figured out. Then we stopped at the world’s largest truck stop for a quick break! It was really cool to see :) I got a magnet to remember the trip too! We had to call lots of places for food donations for dinner today and had a hard time getting something with the 4th of July weekend, but eventually we were able to get some Dominos again for dinner. Tonight we’re staying at a campground for the first time so we had 3 tents and I slept in the tent with 3 people. We also got Panera donated for breakfast the next day which was really nice. When we got to the campground, I had some me time which was nice because we don’t have a lot of time for that. Before bed, we had a little camp fire and talked a little bit about how the week was going. I was more than ready for sleep and had a surprisingly good night sleep in the tent! |
AuthorCassidy Dunn Categories
All
ArchIves
August 2022
|