WE DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes we did!  You can't imagine how wonderful it was.

Thank you to all of your for your support in not only helping us fund raise, but also your motivation and encouragement through all of our training.

To help cap it all off, check out our video.  We hope that we've inspired one of you to get out there and "Don't Stop Believing" that you can do it too.

XOXOXO

L Squared Running
Lesley and Linda

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jel81wiHovY&feature=player_detailpage

Bowling Night A Success!

Thank you to everyone who attended our bowling night - It was a great success and a lot of money was raised which will support the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada - The countdown is on!  Less than a month until we run our full and half marathons to help kick cancer in the butt!

Thank you to everyone who came out to support us.  Special thanks to Ana for the donations for our door prizes and lane prizes.

If you couldn't make it but want to sponsor us, there is just a few days left.  Click on the link below to reach our donation page directly:

Lesley :
http://my.e2rm.com/personalPage.aspx?registrationID=1450647&langPref=en-CA

Linda:
http://my.e2rm.com/personalPage.aspx?registrationID=1448017&langPref=en-CA

Thanks for your support!
L squared Running!

Cancer - The Good, The Bad, The Fighters

With just 5 weeks to go, we are gettting more and more excited about not only the run, but the charity that it supports:  The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada.

We all know someone who is fighting, has beat, or has succom to cancer.  We also know that someone we love does not yet know they have cancer, and we hope that they find out before its too late.

These two videos are truly inspiring. 

The first is from the Seattle Children's Hospital.  They have created their own video to go along with the Kelly Clarkson song "Stronger"  These children are all fighting cancer, but decided to be "stronger" and not let their cancer get them down.

This second video is new.  It is a live performance from the Stand Up 2 Cancer concert last week.  It is Taylor Swift singing a song called Ronan.  It was written for a 4 year old boy who passed away from cancer.  It's a tear jerker.  The words are beautiful.  They help you remember a person and not the disease.

Please help us fight cancer.

Donate to our fundraising efforts below:

Lesley:
http://my.e2rm.com/personalPage.aspx?registrationID=1450647&langPref=en-CA

Linda:
http://my.e2rm.com/personalPage.aspx?registrationID=1448017&langPref=en-CA

Please do so by September 28th as that is our fundraising cut off date.  Our race is October 14th in San Francisco.

L Squared Running
Lesley and Linda
:)                  ;)

We Have 3 Winners!

Linda making the draws!

We held the draw for our raffle yesterday and are thrilled to announce the winners!

1st prize - a $50 Tim Hortons Card was won by Subaraj Loganathan

2nd prize - a $100 Gas Gift Card was won by Stella Salem

3rd prize - Two Golf Passes to Deer Creek south was won by Sam Reid

Congratulations to our winners! 

Close to $800 was raised for Team in Training for our upcoming run to support the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Thanks to everyone who bought a ticket. 

Our next (and final) fundraising event is on Saturday September 15th at 8pm at Rouge Hill Bowl.  Tickets are $20 each and include a buffet dinner and a Cookie Dessert Bar.  contact us if you want to come - It will be a great night!

L squared Running
Lesley & Linda

Take It To The Limit!

First of all.....

Sorry for not posting lately.  But we have been on holidays and enjoying ourselves so getting you caught up on our running wasn't at the top of our list.....like sleeping, reading and eating butter tarts were :)

That said, you are here and your support is one of the reasons that we are able to head to San Fran in October so how are we doing????

AMAZING!

This past weekend was truly an example of taking it to the limit.  I (Lesley) had to do 18k but Linda had to do 38k.  We wanted to run together...correction we NEEDED to run Together.  There is a famous quote that says " Your mind gives up long before your body" both of us needed each others minds to get through this run.  So we planned out a creative route, got up at a crazy hour and ran.

Linda was up at 4:30am and on the road by about 5am.  I got up at 5:45 and was waiting at my door at 6am for Linda to arrive.  By the time she got to my house she had already ran about 10k.  Leaving my door we headed out to do 18k together.  As with all of our runs we talked, and talked, and talked. About everything: food (a popular topic), work, vacations, desserts (different than food) our men and our shopping lists.  Every now and then we would glance at Linda's Garmin and be like "wow! You are at 18km so I must be at 8km" before we knew it our route had wound its way back to my house and Linda quickly refilled her water and headed out to her home....a small 10km away.

Lucky for Linda she ran into our other running peeps along the way.  Their encouragement gave her what she needed to "take it to the limit" and make it home.  When she got there she hit stop on her Garmin and was happy to report she had gone 38.64km and it was only 9:30 am.

Less than 4km away from a full marathon.....she's going to do it....she is going to make it happen.three years ago when we started running we were so stoked to even run 10minutes straight.....now we run for hours...and hours...and hours :) We take our bodies and minds to the limit and they go willingly.....

Don't forget we have a bowling night fundraiser on Saturday September 14th at Rouge Hill Bowl.  Contact one of us to buy your ticket.  We have to hit our fundraising goals in the next few weeks.  We can't do it without your help!

L Squared...
Lesley & Linda

Don't Forget To Support!

Hello!

Don't forget we have 3 ways that you can make a donation to us and our run:

a)  Donate to us directly:

Lesley
http://my.e2rm.com/personalPage.aspx?registrationID=1450647&langPref=en-CA

Linda
http://my.e2rm.com/personalPage.aspx?registrationID=1448017&langPref=en-CA

b) Buy a raffle ticket:  $2 each or 3 for $5

Win:  Passes for 2 at Deer Creek South
          $100 gas card
           $50 Tim Hortons Card

c) Come to bowling nite!  Saturday September 15th 8pm at Rouge Hill Bowl
  $20 per person (includes a light buffet and a cookie dessert bar!)

Contact us to get tickets!

Lesley and Linda

A Moment In Time

Linda's turn to blog.  Here it is:

This is my story......July 30th, 2012

 worried about my sore foot....I decide to take a week off before I really injury myself or have my friend Lesley injury me as she has threatened if she see me in San Fran at the finish line in street clothes she will kill me...so then...with a week off.....she leaves town to vacation with her family and me alone without my running or my partner....what will  I do.....  not run....get better....rest my feet.....it's so hard....my head knows it's right, but I WANT TO RUN....I love to run....I am in training....I need to follow the plan....I'll miss a week of running.....Lesley says it's ok....hear her in your head.

After a sleepless Sunday night.....Lesley has been gone a day and I haven't run in a day and a half....I have a plan....
I buy a pump for my bike tires....I get a new bike seat and grips....off I go for a spin around the neighbourhood....I am set to have a few nights of biking.
Monday night 750 meters swimming, 50 lengths of the swimming pool....new goggles and cap as well. As most of you know I need the equipment and to look good.
OK.....it's Monday night.....a swim, a bike ride....no run.....foot feels good.....need to rest a week.....Lesley is in my head......listen to the smart runner in your head and on your left shoulder and you will be a winner.

5 more rest days to go.....until I hope to run again.....

Linda

Reaching Goals....

Food for thought...

Congrats to Linda for getting a PB (personal best) on her 1/4 Marathon run today....It was a training run but done at a race for fun. 

Virtual Course

Found it!

Here is a great video of the courses that we are going to run....minus the cars :)

That "Chocolate Mile" looks good....We'll have a piece for you!

L Squared Running

I ran....Now I'm hot

Our weather here in Toronto has been really, really warm - The humidity has made it worse and we've had several extreme heat warnings so I (Lesley) took it to heart and didn't run.

Today I ran 7km - It started out as a really nice run:  there was a breeze, the tunes were good, I smoothly ran up a few hills......And then just before I got home I looked down and I was drenched!  This is when the worse thing that could happen to a runner happens......My mind tried to take over. 

Runners get what I'm talking about.  Your run is going fine, and then, you notice something:  sweat, slight pain/pull/tugging, whatever....At this point your mind kicks in and tries to get you to stop...In my case, my mind was saying "Ooh, Les, take a break....Drink some water...Its getting too hot to run just stop."  But then the faint voice kicks in and says "You're fine....step by step....." 

I finished my run, enjoyed a shower, and drank a ton of water.  I was thinking about why I run.  It's more than just the social aspect of it.  (Mind you, that's a ton of fun).  I run because it feels good.  Even just putting on the shoes and heading around the block can clear my mind, give me more energy, and help put things into perspective.  I also thought about what keeps me running.  This got me thinking about something I saw.

One of the most inspirational video's I've seen about running is this one.  For those of you who don't run, I hope this helps put into perspective how I feel when I run.  Watch it, and be inspired:  to run, to make a change, or to sponsor us in our run.

Lesley

Just A Small Taste

Here is a video we found that will help you get an understanding of HOW BIG this run is!  You can see why its on our bucket list!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Xn9m1nrGpAw

We are still training despite the heat!

Thanks to everyone for donating to us - We've still got a long way to go, and could use all the support we can get!

Sponsor Lesley at:
http://my.e2rm.com/personalPage.aspx?SID=3385391&langPref=en-CA

Sponsor Linda at:
http://my.e2rm.com/personalPage.aspx?registrationID=1448017&langPref=en-CA

Remember - Not only are you supporting a great cause, and a great runner - You also get a tax reciept!

Get Your Raffle Tickets!

Our first fundraising event is in full swing! 

We are selling raffle tickets that can get you your chance for one of two great prizes:  either a $100 Gas Gift Card or a $100 Tim Horton's Gift Card.

See L or L to buy your tickets!

Good Luck!

We Run The World....Or At Least San Fran

We get asked all the time about the course that we will be running. Yes, there are a few hills (it is San fran!) But there aren't that many.  We start down at union square and both the full and the half marathon end at Golden Gate Park.  Here is a picture of our routes:

Just a reminder that we need to meet our fundraising minimums by the end of the summer.  Your support is appreciated!

Lesley and Linda

Going For A Little Run?

We often get asked about our training schedule.  It's not like we wake up one morning and run 21.1 or 42.2 km on a whim.  To properly train for a half or a full, we need about 18 weeks to get ready, get trained, and get comfortable in being on our feet for so long.  Here is a sample week for each of us:

Lesley (Half-Marathon)                                                   Linda (Full-Marathon)
                                                Wed: Rest or XTrain
Thurs: 5 hills                                                                    Thurs: 6 hills
                                                 Fri: Rest
                                                 Saturday: 6km Steady         
Sunday: 10km LSD                                                          Sunday: 18K LSD
                                                Mon: Rest
                                                Tuesday: 6km Tempo                  

The big challenge we face right now is just the heat.  It's really hard to run 10 or 16km in this heat.  And to do a distance like that means we will be outside for between 60-120 minutes.  So trying to find a time that works into both of our schedules is hard.  Especially since we work in two totally different environments.  However, with me being done school (and only teaching summer school) things may get a little easier for us.......Hopefully!

L Squared Running :)

You Choose

Welcome To L Squared Running!

Three years ago, Lesley and Linda met at booty camp.  They had signed up to lose a few pounds, but instead ended up with a friendship that goes on for "miles."

When booty camp was done, the two decided that running would be a good way to get fit, and burn a few calories.  They started in a 5km clinic at the Pickering Running Room, and found themselves not only loosing weight, but being stronger physically and being able to run for longer periods of time.  Then they got the great idea to do a 10km run.....Then they figured a 15km run is only 5km longer than a 10km so why not........As they were getting close to the end of that run (The Acura 10 miler) they decided that a half marathon was only 6.1 km more....And then the plan was hatched to do a half marathon together.

The stage was set, but Linda suffered a training ending injury.  Lesley lost her "half - virginity" with some of their other running friends, and Linda healed.  The two then began a plan to train for their next half, and that one would be together.  However, Lesley was the one who became injured and Linda ended up loosing her "half-virginity" alone at the Disney Princess Half Marathon. 

Fast forward a year later - Both Lesley and Linda are healthy, and in good running form, and are ready to take on the San Francisco Nike Women's Half and Full Marathon on October 14th, 2012.  Lesley will be doing the half and Linda will be doing her first Full.  Both ladies believe in paying it forward and decided to run the race for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada.  They need your help in reaching their fundraising goal. 

You can donate to Lesley at:
http://my.e2rm.com/personalPage.aspx?SID=3385391&langPref=en-CA

You can donate to Linda at:
http://my.e2rm.com/personalPage.aspx?registrationID=1448017&langPref=en-CA
(this is the correct link - apologies for the earlier broken link)

You will receive an email confirmation, along with your tax receipt for your donation and I will be notified as soon as you make your donation. We thank you in advance for your support, and really appreciate your generosity!!

Keep checking in on this blog to learn more about their progress and also to see other fun ways you can support them in their quest to the race.

For more info about Team in Training and the work they do on behalf of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, please visit:  http://www.teamintraining.ca/


Thanks for your support
Lesley and Linda
aka L squared running :)

This is during the Acura 10 miler where they decided that a half wouldn't be so bad!