Day 340: Women's Leadership Conference

Today I had a meeting with the organizer's of the West Hollywood Women's Leadership Conference, of which I am the opening speaker for on Saturday, April 9th.

I'm looking forward to kicking the day off and getting attendees pumped for what the day will offer. Nothing like being in a room full of creative, talented and passionate women to make you want to be a better person!

I really do hope you will consider attending this empowering conference. The day's programs will offer attendees an opportunity to mingle with other energetic and passionate women; learn how to run for public office or become appointed to a Board or Commission; help you fine tune your public relations skills; and hopefully have you all leaving rejuvenated and ready to implement the tools you learn to grow your business, or feel more empowered at work and in your lives!

Please join me for the morning session at 9 a.m. and help me get the day started with a boost of energy! Hope to see you on April 9th!

To register and to view all the speakers, please visit: www.weho.org/wlc/

Day 339: My Throbbing Toenail

Can you believe it, the only casualty from my running in Sunday's Los Angeles Marathon is my bruised and battered left large toenail. The pain is excruciating... throbbing pain... who knew a damaged nail could cause so much pain!

Other then this issue, I'm feeling great two days after torrential rains dampened my spirit and my first marathon. But not to fret I finished the race with a smile on my face... and now I've an insanely painful nail to prove I ran all 26.2 miles !

Day 338: The Day After ...

Thank you all so very, very much for your wonderful congratulations, accolades, and kudos toward my completion of yesterday's marathon. Your sentiments mean so much to me and really warm my heart! All your calls, cards, texts, emails, Face Book posts, they all made me smile today!

I'm feeling GREAT ... Given I ran for 6 hours in torrential rains! I ran in wet socks, shoes and clothing and it was brutal, just miserable. The casualty to my body seems to be that I'll be losing a toenail on my left foot... you can't expect to run in wet socks sliding up and down for hours in the rain and not have some fallout!

In my case it is an incredibly sore toenail, I mean excruciating pain. I'm wearing Brian's compression socks for some ankle swelling, but I feel pretty damn good. Was up early walking up and down the stairs...

Below are some of my favorite words of inspiration...

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Hey Mom,

Just wanted to wish you good luck tomorrow on your marathon. I'm super proud of you and proud that I have a Mom that can actually do that. I even told some of my friends that you were running. Regardless of your time you should be proud. I don't know very many people than can run a marathon, and I'm pretty sure I don't know any moms that can run one. You set out a goal from last year and no matter your time, you accomplished it... so congratulations!

I love you! Good luck, Brandon

-------------------------------------------------------------

The great ones empower people by BOTH words and deeds. You are a Renaissance woman and I hear you roar!!! Love, An admirer.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Robyn, I am so deeply moved by what you accomplished today. It was an honor to watch you do it. You inspire me beyond words!!!

--------------------------------------------------------------

I could not have persevered without all of you supporting me the entire journey. A special and very loud shout out to my friend and trainer Melody Roset, who has run-side-by-side with me for an entire year. She never gave up on me despite my bitching and moaning with all my ailments. She was always a source of encouragement and her skillful training is what led me to the Finish Line successfully and why I'm feeling so good post-the-run.

And a huge thank you too to hubby Brian Simon and Rebecca Simon for planning a post celebration for me ... the rain may have dampened our party, but knowing that they put so much love into organizing this for me, is truly the gift.

I need to go take another Epsom salt bath for my bod and for this throbbing toenail... love you all. Run Robyn Run!

DAY 337: RACE DAY

Oh my gosh, really... more rain today then any other day in the history of rain in Los Angeles. Are you kidding me? Let me be very clear with comments here.... the race was BRUTAL.

There are no words to describe what it is like to run for 6 hours in a DOWNPOUR of rain, wind, and very cold temperatures... and WET socks, shoes and clothing... I might as well of wrapped 10 pound weights around my ankles because that's what it was like to run today!

But let's start with the beginning... up at 3:30 a.m. Off to Dodger Stadium at 5:30 a.m. Thanks to gal pal Stacy Bell for the ride that early in the morning. Hubby Brian and gal pal Rebecca Simon were off to the Finish Line to reserve seating for a surprise cheering party for me... I didn't know that these two darlings were planning such a grand finale for me! Check out the adorable invitation and t-shirts that they designed for my cheerleaders!

I only wish their beautiful plans had worked out, but who the heck could have projected these torrential rains!

Here are Rebecca & Brian hunkering down to ensure a front row seat to view me coming across the Finish Line... I can't stand how committed and devoted they are to me! Thank you both from the bottom of my heart for making such a special plan for my special race day!


While these two were handling the end-game plans, my running partner Melody and I were at Dodger Stadium waiting for the sun to rise! Oh my gosh, I couldn't believe I was finally at the start line. A year long journey that was all on the line now...

For those who've been reading my running posts, you know what I have endured and here it was the moment I had trained for... I wasn't nervous at all, just eager to start running ... the organizers of the race deserve a failing grade for their logistics (that's a post for another day) and it started with the race beginning late!

Pictured here are my devoted fans standing in the pouring rain... my sons Harrison & Spencer, sisters Michele & Linda, nieces, Olivia, Esme & Sophia, brother Josh, gal pal Farrel, the organizers Rebecca & Brian...

Melody and I made our way out to the Stadium and on to the streets of downtown Los Angeles. We ran through Chinatown, past City Hall, through Little Tokyo, up Hill Street past Disney Concert Hall... and we just kept goin'.

The rain NEVER stopped. It was relentless, Mother Nature was pretty pissed and she was testing all 26,000 runners. No doubt fellow runners were hurting and many gave up... the weather conditions were more then most could take. Torrential rain, wind, and running in wet clothes is just not the way you want to run your first marathon ... but what could I do... I had to keep going. I was not happy. It was not a happy run.

Along the course fellow baseball Mom, Jennie Fahn came out to cheer me on, and dear friends Steve & Jenny Savitsky greeted us at mile 24... we needed their big hugs and encouragement to finish the last two miles! A big thank you to gal pals Cheri & Teresa and daughter Carrie, who volunteered at Mile 16 but who we missed as we ran by, but knowing they were out there to support us was awesome!

The BEST part of the entire course was heading up to the Finish Line and hearing my family & friends yell out "Robyn"... I was so excited to see their smiling faces and to know that I was steps away from the finish line, it was a euphoric feeling ...

I did it... Run Robyn Run!

Day 336: The Day Before the Race

Well, this is it kids. I've trained for an entire year to run in the Los Angeles Marathon. All the painful runs, the endless search for the best fitted running shoe, visiting the podiatrist to get fitted for orthodics, early morning runs before the sun was up, blisters, aches, pains, nauseousness, stomach rumblings, frustration ... I mean with all these symptoms it's a wonder anyone would go through with the actual run!

I'm not exaggerating when I say there were runs over the past year that were downright brutal. Intense pain to the point of excruciating. I just wouldn't let up. I want to run this race and finish and I can't let my mind, or my body be weak.

But today it is all about staying focused and being mentally prepared to face the day tomorrow. Go to bed early, wake at 3:30 a.m. and don't look back.

I remember telling my friend and trainer Melody Roset, "I want to run a marathon in honor of my 50th Birthday," ... that was a year ago... I couldn't even run one mile without being winded... I couldn't even visualize running 26 miles... couldn't comprehend it... but every week we ran one more mile, one more mile... I ran a 5k, then a 10k, then a half marathon.... I trained VERY, VERY hard.

I was focused, committed and goal driven. For those of you who know me well, you know that if I commit to something, somebody, I will follow through. I will not let you down and I will not let myself down.

Run Robyn Run!

Day 335: Shopping at the Marathon Expo

Today Melody Roset, my incredible trainer and soul sister on this running journey, and I headed to Dodger Stadium, the site of the start line for Sunday's LA Marathon. All runners have to pick up their registration & bib number prior to race day ... so off we went!

Very exciting to be around so many committed people to fitness and challenging themselves to this awesome feat of a marathon!

And can you believe it... I was one of the first 250 runners to register so my NAME was painted on a Honda ... check it out... so cool.... maybe I'll win a new car, since I know I'm not winning the race Ha Ha!

And to be around vendors, suppliers, products all geared to runners! So fun!

And of course Robyn couldn't resist shopping for all the fun accessories that accompany runners....

I mean a girl's gotta look good when she's sweating, right?

It was a great day to get even more energized for Sunday's run! Run Robyn Run!