Another "inspirational talk" to a church group...many have told me that I have a very powerful message, am hoping and looking forward to continuing to share it....just wanting to figure out how to get my message out!

Ran six miles yesterday......time 54 minutes, not quite as fast as I used to do for a training run (about 5 min. slow), is it because I'm fighting cancer and going through chemo or is it just because I'm old? I guess we will see once I'm colmpletely finished with all of my treatments....at the end the last 3/4 of a mile I started feeling that "runners high" that some of you probably have felt before....it's that feeling that you have a second wind, was actually able to charge up the last two hills....this was awsome, I haven't felt this for a long time. Getting stronger while having chemo and fighting cancer....I think I am...that is good, just getting stronger to run the cancer into the ground!

And what a difference a day makes, had a "fill"again today to continue stretching the skin....took a valium, percocet, and vicadin to try to manage the pain....it finally let up after about 1 1/2 hours....I think this is just about as painful as the post surgery! Oh well, again, if this is the worst, I can handle it.

Finally the weekend is sounding promising...if you haven't got that exercise in you have your last chances tomorrow for this week....you know this annoying pain is not going to stop me....just have to work around it. and be thankful you're able to do "something" because there are many out there who can't!

I have just started reading LAnce Armstrong's book "It's Not About the Bike" (ITs his battle against cancer)I certainly don't put myself into the same category as him...nowhere close....but I am floored at the many similarities between my blogs, my "Chronicles" that I am writing, and the quotes and story in his book so far........
he was told at a young age he had a "chip on his shoulder" My 4th grade teacher said that about me as well,......he was "driven" to train. so was I (too bad I wasn't as successful as him in sports performance..... ) He told his Oncologist that maybe the chemo wasn't brutal enough,maybe he wasn't sick enough from the chemo...I asked my Oncologist if we could move the treatments to every two weeks instead of every three....because maybe I was feeling too good, was there a more intense treatment to kill the cancer?.....He told the Surgeon to cut out all the cancer...I told mine to rip it all out no matter what, right before I went under.......He said as long as he keeps moving during chemo, then somehow he would be less sick, ....I've said exactly the same thing, that it will make me stronger.....he compares battling cancer to battling on the bike races...I'm comparing it to running and training......and finally at the end of his press conference when he announces that he has cancer his final statement is, "I'm determined to fight this disease, and I will win"......my final statement in the inspirational talk that I give is,"I have never had a better team backing me than the one I have now and we will win."
And yes he won........and we will win too! I'll just end up making everyone else stronger who comes in contact with me so they will win their challenges as well!

So here it is another beautiful day. I rode my 20 miles on my bike today....what did you do? I'm challenging everyone reading this to exercise for at east 30 min four times this week....you can add up your time or do it all at once. All of us should be thankful we are healthy enough to be able to exercise!
Next time you're sore from lifting wts. or from too much activity instead of complaining about it, be happy to be able to be sore! Take your obstacle, whatever it is, and make it an opportunity!!!!
Again some have asked how to respond to the Blog....well don't exactly know, so here's my e mail address, feel free to e-mail me

pruittlaura@gmail.com if you want to phone me call my cell 812-584-3718

Missed my first day working out since Surgery yesterday.....all day in Indy with my younger sons DI team. Made up for it today though 20 mile bike ride and upper body wts. 10 miles of the ride all against the wind! Hope the rest of you took advantage of the weather this weekend!

So here it is Thursday one week after the white blood cell shot....the one they said would make me sore......well I was really sore today...sore glutes, sore quads, don't think it was from the shot though....probably from the class I taught Tues.evening (really worked the legs), and the 5 mile run, and the spinning workout on Wednesday......nope don't think it was from the shot!

I went to the community center, the cardiac rehabers were in there doing their phase 3 and 4 cardiac rehab, brought back so many memories from grad school, and the EPA I loved doing cardiac rehab, they are a fun group, ....I'm sure they were, looking at me like I was nuts...if only they had known I too was recovering, just at a different level than them....the important thing was all of us were in there doing our best......

Saw the reconstructive surgeon yesterday and once again my left arm, side is very sore....who would have thought "stretching" would be so painful! But did it stop me from working out? No it didn't like alot of things "you just work around it!"

Sounds like our weather is finally going to start warming up, a good time for everyone to catch some extra exercise!

Also received info from genetic testing I'm not a carrier of the brc1 or brc2 gene ....this is good, unfortunately the sciience just isn't sophisticated enough to discover what caused my cells to mutate and what type of genetic component was involved....oh well will just have my genetic code in the genetic bank for further research......

Day #4 after chemo....looks like most of the side effects are going away.....just a mild headache all day....not enough to stop a decent workout! The wig "came out" today.....a little hair left but it's so thin my head gets cold! Don't know how bald guys do it!