Bachelor Pool 2011!

On January 3, 2011, former Bachelor Brad Womack will be given a second chance at love...and in turn, we will be given the chance, yet again, to watch the roller coaster, and....bet on his future.

Join me in the SECOND BACHELOR/ETTE POOL!!!!!!!!! Mondays won't seem so bad when you know you will be able to come home after work and watch other people's lives on TV which are more ridiculous and hilarious than yours. Just as with the last one, the pot will be split down the middle: 50% will go to the person with the most amount of points at the end of the season and 50% will go to charity. The charity of choice this time is Hope Express, a 24-hour 135-mile relay from Hershey Medical Center to Penn State's annual Dance MaraTHON, an amazing event that raises money for the Four Diamonds Fund at Hershey Medical, which helps pediatric patients through their journey with cancer.

The rules will be the same as last year:

-Entry fee is a mere $10.
-Each week, you will need to rank the remaining ladies (here's the link for all the girls) in order from most likely to stay to least likely to stay (AKA go home!).
-There will be a total of about 30 potential points each week. The number of points will be divided among the number of bachelorettes receiving roses...i.e. 15 women will receive roses the first week, so each correct prediction will earn you 2 points.
-Following each episode, I will email out updated standings.
-I'm not positive finding love on television is the best idea, but I like watching other people do it.

Again, please forward this along to friends and family who you think might enjoy participating. Remember, it's for charity, so the more, the merrier :O)! Send me your name/email address (darian.leib@gmail.com), and I'll be in touch as the main event nears. Thanks and have fun!!

lots 'o WOW!

Yesterday, I had the pleasure and pure joy of being a cheerleader at the Philadelphia Half-Marathon/Marathon, specifically going to support my dear friend, Ms. Lindsay Brown, who completely ROCKED her first half-marathon - CONGRATS! Lani and I traipsed around the city to catch her a few times throughout the race and it was so great to see her looking so fabulous every single time (and it was pretty funny recognizing the same people again and again.."THERE ARE THE TURKEYS! Zebra pants! CINDDDDY"...and yes, each time I thought it was our Sindy, not a crown-wearing impostor!). We even ran to the finish line and got to see her cross (ANDDD hear her name! We started screaming and the people around us thought we were maniacs), and it honestly made my whole heart smile. Big events such as this make me really emotional, and it's honestly a wonder I didn't cry (tears of joy!) throughout the entire event. Watching so many people, friends and strangers alike, accomplish so much moves me. I think the feeling of pride I had when I finished my half-marathon and I feel that for all the people who run by me and get to feel that too! It's funny, because I don't say things like with the intention of them sounding like "Ohh look at me!;" it's more like "Look at me; I wasn't carried across the finish line via stretcher!" I've said from the get-go that I took on the half-marathon as a way to prove to myself I could set a big goal and hit it. When I think about that fact, and of all the people who have set that same goal, in addition to all the people in my life who have overcome challenges big and small - it's amazing. It's what puts life into perspective for me and (attempts to!) keep/s me grounded.

Once again, big MAZEL TOV to Lindsay - I knew you could do it...and do it so darn well! Congrats!

rumors and allegations

As you may have read in the local paper or seen pop up on your newsfeed, there has been recent discussion about my participation in the world famous New York City Marathon, which took place last weekend. The below pictures were even posted on the cover of the New York Times this past Monday following the race:

I'm here to set the record STRAIGHT:

Yes, I did attend this amazing event and yes, it would be believable to think that I would look this happy after running for multiple (and consecutive!) hours, and yes, some may call me a "marathoner," if you will. I mean, I DID, in fact, run .5/26.2 of the event!!!!!!!

But really - I'm so glad I was able to head up to NY last weekend to witness this MASSIVE event - some almost 45,000 people representing over 100 countries! I was THRILLED to be able to root on one of my biggest supporters during my half-marathon training (speaking of, it was so awesome seeing the over 200 runners who ran for Team Hole in the Wall - WOW!). And all kidding aside...I saw Jared from Subway fly by me as well! What a weekend!

So the pictures? If all that wasn't enough, I had the great fortunate at cheering Sindy on one-on-one during one of the last miles through Central Park. It was really awesome and a lot of fun, and somehow I managed sneak my way into a few of the professional pictures...so it's unofficially official!

Otherwise, a really good lesson learned about the power of cheering, especially towards the end. I am even more excited for the Philadelphia Half/Marathon coming up next weekend!

CONGRATULATIONS again to SINDALA!!! I'm so proud of you!!!!!

why hello!

It's been a while, and I haven't forgotten about you, dear blog! I have a lot to write about, but it all comes down to this:

"When I think about running, it feels like the best 45-minute investment I make in a day. It's enjoyable, it makes me feel better, and it's probably paying dividends way into the future. Running is a really easy choice." - John Fixx, son of running legend Jim Fixx

I have really worked, this past week, to make time to run, and to make sure I am "fighting through" the ughhhh moments to get dressed, stretch, and get going, because I know once I do, I really love it and feel great!

More to come soon....NYC Marathon! Philadelphia Half&Marathon! Hope Express Training! Oh my!

Good luck Tina!

Of course I am up at this early hour in the morning for no great reason....and aside from the fact that I went to bed super early last night (working is just so tiring!), I think I just be really excited for my boo TINA, who is running her first half-marathon this morning in Baltimore for the American Cancer Society. wow wow wow is all I can manage to get out right now! I am so excited for her...and may actually head out for a run rather than get back into bed (it's still undecided, because bed is still calling...but if nothing else, a run will be weaved into my day somehow in her honor). GO TINA!

now and then//135 miles FTK!

For about three weeks now, I've "enjoyed" (I do use that word very loosely) the aftermath of the half-marathon, allowing my body and mind to unwind and relax. While I've tried to not detach myself from my routine completely, it certainly has been busy and my running sneakers have remained in the closet more often than not. Nevertheless, I think it's important for me to stop and digest still, rather than keep going without getting it. When I look back at my post from the day of the race, and I still think, "Did that really happen?"

My time-out is drawing to a close, however, and I'm SO excited about it. Last week, I was selected as an alternate runner for the Hope Express (fka Thon Express), a 15 person relay covering the 135 miles from Marathon Avenue at Hershey Medical Center to Penn State's Dance MaraTHON, the largest student-run philanthropy in the WORLD! THON raises money, year-round, for the Four Diamonds Fund, which funds research and serves to battle and CONQUER childhood cancer. Each runner will run three 3-mile legs and the event will take place in the 24 hours leading up to the start of THON, February 18, 2011.

I'm so excited to FINALLY have the chance to be a part of Hope Express. With my half-marathon behind me, I feel it's a challenge I'm super excited to take on....especially since, as an alternate, I won't know if I will be running until possibly right beforehand. The idea of preparing for something that could not happen would have originally FREAKED me out (re: commitment? forgetaboutit), but if this year has taught me anything, it's that I can do it. Just after learning the news that I will be part of the team as an alternate, runner's world so appropriately sent me this quote (I just love them and their timing!):

"Success means having the courage, the determination, and the will to become the person you were meant to be." - George Sheehan

THON was a huge part of my undergraduate experience at Penn State, and I am thrilled to be involved in supporting the Four Diamonds Fund again by being a part of the incredible Hope Express team.

detox

No, I haven't forgotten about you bloggy boo. I think this time apart is important. At times, I'm worried that we're over, despite the progress we've made in our relationship, but today, as I was finally working on my thank you notes to all the amazing people who supported me during my training (I hate that my appreciation is so delayed...no reflection of how fortunate I know I am!), I realized how amazing not only race day was, but training overall. Just because we're taking time apart doesn't mean I won't come crawling (or running...but more likely crawling) back. I recently received two really awesome quotes, one just before the half-marathon and one just after...

"The battles that count aren't the ones for gold medals. The struggles within yourself - the invisible, inevitable battles inside all of us - that's where it's at." - Jesse Owens

"Obstacles are those frightening things that become visible when we take our eyes off our goals." - Henry Ford

Even now, it's hard to remember, to believe I reached what was once just a goal of mine, and that sums it up perfectly. I think we all too easily get overwhelmed with the idea, scared of failing. It's important to keep our eyes on the goal, even if the goal is simply making time to just run at all, and not get distracted or overwhelmed by all the other things.