Marathon Training Update

Training update: 63 days until Leslie and I are standing on the Start Line for the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, DC.  That feels like forever away but I know that it will be here before I know it. This year's training has meant quite a few days running by myself. Definitely more than last year. And I won't lie, it has made the training a little bit harder. I love running with people. But as I sat down to write this post, I thought back over the last two months of training and they really have been great. I have been grateful for every day that I have had to get up and go for a run, sometimes before the sun is up.

Running for as long as we do for the training runs gives me lots of time to think. Usually, this leads to me overthinking things. But for some reasons these runs this year have allowed for time for me to be quiet and pray for and think about others. I have found myself being more engaged with the run instead of merely trying to check off the box. And it has been so good.

I often find myself thinking about Inheritance of Hope and the families they serve quite often. It seems every year I hear about more and more people that I know getting diagnosed with cancer or other terrible diseases. And these people are not old, they are young and have families and lives. But I have also seen communities come around these families and support them and walk through the hard days with them. Inheritance of Hope comes alongside families who have a parent diagnosed with a terminal illness and helps inspire hope and provides support. They have Legacy Retreats in which families can participate for absolutely no cost. It is a place where the whole family can go and make memories together and laugh and cry and share with each other. I encourage you to go check out their website to learn more because I could go on forever about it. http://inheritanceofhope.org/

Part of running Marine Corps Marathon with Inheritance of Hope means fundraising for them. This year my fundraising goal is $750. I would love to even surpass this if possible. Won't you join me in my support of Inheritance of Hope? A donation of any amount is awesome. And will be put to good use, I can promise you that.

Click HERE to go to my personalized donation page. Every dollar is greatly appreciated. Seriously, even $5.

Stay tuned for more updates!

In Case You Didn't Know, My Mom is Awesome

I just wanted to take a minute today to brag about my mom, Stacey Noll. She was recently selected to be the new Camp Manager of a Wyldlife camp in Florida called Southwind. This is a big deal. She's like running the whole camp. And she deserves every bit of that position and to be celebrated. Everyone who knows my mom knows how capable she is of taking on this new role. Anyone who thinks otherwise...I'll see you outside.

My mother is a great leader who cares always cares about her staff. She is funny and smart and when she sets her mind to something, it WILL happen. And most of the time, it will happen a lot faster than you can prepare for. She volunteered for Young Life for a long time which was awesome because we got to spend our summers at Young Life camps which is pretty much THE single best way to spend your summer as a kid.

For the past few years she has been on the regional staff with Young Life in Texas where she has been doing amazing things. She has also for the past few summers been running Camp Buckner, a camp in Texas that Young Life rents out for Young Lives and Wyldlife camp during the summer.

She is also the first Woman camp manager in the history of Young Life but guess what, that's not even why they hired her, that's just a sweet added bonus.

This next step is a big one for her and for my entire family, but it is definitely one that is to be celebrated and encouraged. I really cannot think of a better person for this position. And the even greater more important thing is even though my mom is really good at being in charge and making things happen, all of this, her whole story, has been painted and directed by Jesus. All of it. And she will tell you that. She has worked really hard and set goals and dreamed big but at the end of the day, Jesus did it all. Seriously. It's very humbling to her and to us as a family.



So Southwind, get ready, you are about to get one of the greatest Jesus loving, go getters I have ever known. I just hope you can keep up with her.

I'm Baaaaaack!

2015 has been an interesting one. It has been filled with a little traveling, a lot of laughing and of course, running. I have decided to run another marathon for Inheritance of Hope. Last year, as you probably remember, I ran the New York City marathon with my good friends Jenn and Leslie. This year Jenn and her husband Kyle welcomed a sweet baby boy and thus are not training. Leslie and myself decided we would run the Marine Corps Marathon on the Inheritance of Hope Team this year which takes place in Washington, DC on October 25th.

Next Monday, July 6th, we will officially start training. For the past 6 weeks I have been doing a bit of 'pre-training' to make sure I will be able to start really training next week. Sounds crazy, I know. I am currently in day 36 of a 40 day run streak in which the goal is to run at least 1 mile every day for 40 days. This year seemed more difficult than years past. I am once again in the middle of a move and keeping a consistent schedule seems impossible right now. But I have been getting it done even with a couple of 11pm 1 mile runs squeezed in at the last minute.

I am excited to be running Marine Corps with Inheritance of Hope. The experience last year was so great and the motivation of all of the families that are impacted by the donations I receive is the best.

I am so grateful for the ability to run and that I enjoy doing it.

Won't you join me again this year on my journey to the start line of the Marine Corps Marathon?

Click here to donate to my fundraising page and help kickstart my training journey.