What next? Rest, races and remembering

Well! It's been over a week since the marathon and life is chugging along. It is normal to feel a 'gap' once a big goal is accomplished- when that big event or performance is over and that focal point ceases to act as a daily beacon to organize events around. Lucky for me, I get to experience a seasonal shift as the weather improves- other volunteer projects such as work for the Fenway Garden Society, fundraising and project managing for several area parks projects, and deadlines for grants applications have all made days even busier than I would have thought (and sometimes want!) post-marathon. Right now, the challenges look to outweigh the successes, but like anything, this is a temporary phase as exploration of challenges lead to solutions going forward.

I will miss my great teammates, including Ben,who was a recipient of a rarely awarded Volunteer of the Year award with The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and whose amazing and inspiring blog account you can read here. I'll miss being surrounded weekly by a bunch of people who believe in making a difference through their actions and committment, but as I told our coaches, I think the ripple effect on the way their runners will continue to be impacted by the experience will be limitless.

And... There will be more races! This weekend is the Grafton Gazebo 5 Mile Road Race, held on Saturday, May 3rd at 10:00 a.m. This is a hilly and exciting (especially when you don't know the course!) race, and we should have a nice Team in Training contingent there. And my good friend Chris and teammate Patti have propelled me to sign up for the ING NYC half marathon in November. HALF marathon? That's right! I plan to work on pacing on shorter distances and see where that takes my running. I have yet to resolve my right ankle tendinitis, but am planning on working that out asap. For advice on how to recover from Boston, check out this recovery plan.

I would be remiss in not pointing out some great sponsors, whose products you can STILL BUY through my fundraising website until May 31, 2008:

Planet Buff:
Thank you, Scott, for offering a generous donation for each unit sold through my Original Buff Headwear link. Scott not only has agreed to donate a portion of each sale made through my site with the appropriate fundraising code listed, but to throw in a shopping spree drawing (one lucky winner!) for products for anyone purchasing through this site. Planet Buff is a great company whose products I can't say enough good things about.

Wrap n Mat:
Bonnie at Wrap N Mat has been most generous from the outset, allowing me to sell these great plastic saving reusable sandwich wraps on my site, and resending a large order of products that somehow (!) got lost in the mail.

Yuko Adachi:
Yuko's Fine Art Cards are just a tiny window into her vast artistic world, which you can view on her website. Yuko generously donated her proceeds for these cards for fundraising, and has helped me for a number of years in supporting LLS despite a busy painting and exhibition schedule.

Deans Beans:
Charlsie at Dean's Beans has been the best. She has split orders into small amounts to provide direct shipping of small qtties for my web orders , and provided quick, efficient and cheerful support all the way. This is my second year working with Deans Beans and they have turned a group of coffee lovers into satisfied and loyal customers.

All of these vendors have provided generous fundraising rates that have allowed me to sell their products while raising important funds for blood cancer research. Please take a look at their products and let me know if you are interested in purchasing their products! I can tell you more about any of them, as I've been a customer for all these items myself.

Boston Marathon 2008- recap of the day!

It's now been several days since the Boston Marathon. I am starting to feel human again and think I can remember most of what happened on race day. Reading Kristen Armstrong's wonderful blog account at Runner's World brought back the sights and sounds and feelings of the day. Here is our account of our third Boston Marathon with Team in Training:

Monday Morning: Hello, 4:30 a.m.! I see you briefly, then turn back over, headstrong in my committment to sleep until my alarm, set for 5:00. Upon waking, check the weather forecast several times to see whether that overcast cool forecast is staying with us. It looks like it will stay overcast but be warmer than expected, so we decide on one of the several options set in front of us- compression shorts with race ready multi-pocket shorts over the top, smart wool short sleeve for me, and short sleeved Under Armour top for Tim.

Time for breakfast- coffee and steamed rice with fish flakes. Some people might not like this combo(!!!)- rice is a traditional Japanese b/fast food and the dried flakes, called 'furikake', are nice and salty. Some water and a look at the watch to see when our cut-off hydration should start. The last two years, I didn't manage to stop in time, and my overdrinking led for long portapotty delays on the course.

7:30: Our chariot awaits! Great friend Chris (who I ran Nike with last fall) not only drives all the way up from New York, but wakes up early to take us and two other friends to the start line at Hopkinton. She has stocked the car with energy gels, water, treats, and we sit back, knowing we are in the hands of a pro.

8:30 ish?: We are dropped at the bus shuttles at Hopkinton. The long wait and rides to the athlete's village begins and additional rice balls unwrapped and consumed. Buses get stacked and stopped for looong periods of time, and a frantic runner convinces the driver to let him off roadside for some quick relief. Hearty applause greets him upon reboarding.

What time is it?: The buses drop us right at the village! Last year, it was at least a 10 minute walk All we know is that we are looking for our Team, but more interested in the porta potties. We pick a line and get in the slowest one, and discuss our race wear, apply sun block as the clouds magically disperse, and try to stay collected. Once out, we just have time to get our bags and start towards the baggage drop off. Luckily, we spot our Team in another field, and wish everyone a good race. I have brought my sharpie and have been asked to pen the names of people on their arm: Mark, Tom, Lori, JoJo and Kwan Kew. I imagine them all having the best race of their lives.

Here we go down the road to the start. We are in corral 21, but somehow end up back in 25. It doesn't matter- people are packed like sardines, but we know the race only really starts when our chip timer goes off at the starting line. It's happened a bit too fast- not much time to collect ourselves, but we hastily recap our plans, get energy from the crowds and start- first walking, then jogging, and then, many minutes later, actually running.

The first 6 miles are a combination of jogging and running- the crowds seem thicker than last year and people running with iPods directly in front or three across or walking make getting into the groove difficult. My ankle starts to twinge and I know this will be a challenge.

Ashland, Framingham, Natick- this passes by in a blur. I fade in and out of focus and sense a lack of the energy I've had throughout the season. I realize the day will be about running the best I can TODAY. I check in with Tim and figure out where Wellesley is. The cheers are loud, but are only a backdrop today to my effort and desire to get to the community center. I hear at least 2 men start hyperventilating at the cheers and signs at Wellesley College. I think we have seen Justin, our Team mate from last year, holding a big sign and it makes my day.

Familiar territory pops up and my repeated checking back with Tim to see where we are gets me to the community center, where our coach Rick Muhr and our group of friends awaits. We have told them that if we looked to be in good form, that we would not stop. We are not in good form, but we do not tarry. Our dear friend Bob gives me a hug and films us. He will later find that what he thought was smiling was really my attempt not to break into tears. Christine snaps our photo and cheers us along, and our coach advises us to pour water on ourselves and to stick together. The combined support makes me lose it momentarily and I walk until I can breathe again.

Down the hill and up through Hell's Alley: It's getting harder now, but we know after the climb, it will be mostly downhill to the Fire Station and the turn onto Comm Ave. Tim is up ahead, and I know he is doing his best to keep me running along.

Hills of Newton: Tim is off ahead on the first long hill of Comm Ave. I start to walk halfway through, but then pick up to catch him. We do okay at first, but sense that the momentum wanes. Our half time of 2:01 is respectable, but we know we won't make our goal and start to manage as best we can. The rest of the hills continue the same and even Tim starts to struggle. I hear various things from the crowd, but what I can recall is hearing 'this is the LAST hill!' on Heartbreak and start to pick it up. They aren't really right, but they are right enough! We see our great coach Lori and injured teammate Kristen, who is busy helping another Team runner along the course. We start to pass, get passed by, pass again, other Teammates, who I think I try to encourage.

I notice as we turn onto Beacon Street that we are having trouble, but that when we run, that we are running fine- good form, good speed, and hope we can continue in a fashion towards the end. Tim is really working hard now, and needs to stop along the way. I almost lose him once, but find him on a walk, looking pained. We know it's all about the brain now and I start chanting positives: It is minutes to the end, You are strong, Pretend you are on your favorite short course coming home. I get angry at the crowds who press in, yelling in runner's faces to keep moving, thinking 'what do YOU know about it!', when they say 'don't stop now! RUN RUN RUN!'. But they mean well. Our Teammate from last year, Jill, snaps photos of Tim on the course. He tries to tell me she is there, but I am out of it. I think I see Justin again. Am I dreaming?

Kenmore Square- we are coming home. Struggle down and up the underpass and right onto Hereford. There is Dave Tierney, LUCY and a bunch of Team members. I miss Kathleen, who has been on the other side of the street for HOURS, holding this sign:

We turn left and onto Boylston Street. I see that finish line and want to get there immediately. Tim has some trouble and wants to stop, but as soon as he does, our trainer Tessa yells our names and gets us in gear again. Can we believe it??? We are holding hands and crossing the finish line.

We have done it! We later find that Kwan Kew was injured during the race and breaks her femur, that another friend has walked the race and is hospitalized for hyponatremia, and that our supporter Adrienne who was going to miss our fundraising party because she was going on vacation, is in the hospital in an induced coma. We learn that our Teammate Ben finishes his run that evening, with a team of TNT supporters and our coach leading him in. We also find our teammates Paul and Kelly have done exceedlingly well in qualifying for Boston AT Boston and that other teammates have exceeded their goals. It is a day of high emotions, peaks and valleys, but we know that we have completed the race and raised money for a good cause. Here we are at the bar that night, and as you can see, all your names were with me the whole way.

Thanks for helping this run to happen and thanks for supporting this run in Judy's memory. The official time was at 4:20 and change, but we will take it. We learned a lot about running this season and reminded again about what can be accomplished for a good cause. As our coach likes to remind us of the quote by Margaret Mead:

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

Fundraising Time!

Well, the marathon's over, and we are looking forward to our fundraising party at Jillian's pool hall this Friday. We've had some great donations for raffles and are looking forward to relaxing with friends and Teammates.

I have a month left to raise funds for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Once again, I'd like to plug my fundraising site, where each purchase enters you in a drawing for prizes and all proceeds go to benefit LLS. What better way to treat yourself to something nice?

Especially when the products are great! My short synopsis:

• Original Buff Headwear: What better way to look stylish during your active lifestyle? Keep your hair off your face and sweat out of your eyes wearing these functional microfiber headbands whether hiking, running, biking, fishing or just hanging out. I love them for the garden and make sure to look at the UV blocking ones for summer days! $100.00 worth of Buff products will go to the lucky winner on May 31st who purchases an Original Buff Headwear item from my site!
  
• Wrap-N-Mats: These great reusable, machine washable sandwich wraps were recently featured on a national talk show. Why? They are environmentally conscious, reusable alternatives to plastic sandwich bags, which double as a placemat when opened. Your chance for $32.00 worth of wrap-n-mats with any purchase! Start cutting back on plastic today!
  
• Yuko Adachi Fine Art Cards: Yuko is an amazing artist whose works have been shown across the country, most recently at Future Arts 2008, The BAAK Gallery in Cambridge, MA, and Venus Gallery, San Francisco. Her Fine Art Cards can be framed to make beautiful miniature artworks, and convey the spirit of her creativity. Your chance for $35.00 worth of Fine Art Cards with any purchase!
  
  
• Dean's Beans Coffee, hot cocoa mix and organic java drops: I can't say enough great things about this coffee. It's delicious, organic, fair trade, shade grown, sustainable coffee that is roasted in small batches at their MA beanery. If you can do one thing to make a difference in the environment, think about drinking organic coffee. Organic farming practices halt the deforestation that occurs with large scale industrial production, and lessens the use of harmful chemicals, which you don't want to be drinking inour morning cup! Each purchase of Dean's Beans coffee enters you in the May 31 drawing for $50.00 of Dean's Beans products.

Boston 2008

Tim, Walt, and Patti- TNT crew at shuttles
Tim, stylish in his Buff Headwear before race

Tim and Marie- made it! Both of us in disbelief.

Well, everyone, the Boston Marathon 2008 is officially over! Phew!

This was probably the hardest marathons I have EVER run. The day started off nice and cool in the 40's, with overcast skies. Our great friend Chris drove up from NY the day before with her dad and drove us together with Walt and Patti to Hopkinton, where we boarded shuttles to the athlete's village. As always, it was an exciting bus ride as people spoke about their various goals, other marathons, and traded tips about the course. I met a British runner who had run 6 London Marathons for charity and interestingly enough, had an Original Buff Headwear around his neck, which he swore by. There is still time to buy, everyone!:-)

By the time we made it to the village, we had only time to line up for the facilities, followed by a quick trek to the baggage buses and on to the start. During that time, the sun decided to make its way out in full force. Quick decisions were made by those wearing heavy gear and sunblock lotion was passed round. We had decided to run in shorts and short sleeves after examining the weather channel earlier that morning.

Our herding to the corrals ended up placing us a bit behind, and we ended up crossing the start about 15 minutes and change past the gun time. Maybe I'm just getting older, but the numbers of feet, people wearing iPods, runners in groups traveling 3 or more across were quite a bit to contend with this year and a little frustrating. I think Boston could benefit from lining up 2nd wave runners with pacing times, as the full first half of the race made a lot of work and distance to shimmy past people who were walking, jogging or a combination of the two. We even saw a runner in costume with a FULL PARCEL DOLLY(cartons taped onto the dolly)- I think dressed up as a parcel delivery person and all I thought was 'DON'T let me trip over this person's dolly!'.

I realized 6 miles into the run that the ankle injury would be problematic. I had some dull aching in the foot and thought that this would not be my day to make records, but my day to deal with challenges and make it through the race as best I could. Lucky for me, I had an excellent running partner with Tim- he realized what was happening, and we adjusted our stops both for the weather- our original plan to hydrate every 2 miles changed into every mile or so!, and for the foot- stopping as needed to walk.

We were doing okay for the half at 2:01, but had to slow further after that. In retrospect, I saw a number of runners on the course with issues that day- people vomiting, cramping and pulled over to the side of the road, and I read later that 3 people had heart attacks on the course and 900 more treated at the first aid tents. I even saw a runner exit a porta-potty and keel over at the finish. Our time of 4:20 was a full 5 minutes slower than last year! But given the day, and the injuries, I think I learned alot from this race, which really felt like my hardest effort ever!

We had a great dinner at our fave pizza joint and got to give Kathleen my finisher's medal. I am so happy to have had the chance to run for Kathleen's mom and raise funds to continue blood cancer research! Kathleen and her sister got Tim and me deep tissues massages at a spa. I cannot wait!!!!!! Thanks, Kathleen and Karen!
Asako and Kathleen- two great friends

Of note: I hadn't realized that an athlete I really respect- runner Gordon Bakoulis, ran the marathon and finished in 3:15:53. She is an amazing athlete who has written 3 books including one of my favorites How to Train for and Run Your Best Marathon. As she told the B.A.A. for their official race program "I tell people that they must make time for running, no matter how busy they think they are. Running is such a healthy lifestyle for parents of young children because it's such a simple and efficient way to exercise. Kids don't necessarily want to go out and jog five miles, and that's not what young kids should be doing, but they should see that running is fun and life-enhancing for mom and dad." Her interview continues as she talks about writing about top athletes: "There are no 'secrets' to their success, but the themes that come up again and again in interviews, articles, etc., are the value of rest and recovery and the need for patience and taking the long-term view".

Congratulations to everyone who ran yesterday! I will be at our Team party this evening and look forward to giving our coaches and volunteers thanks!

Deena Kastor wins women's olympic trials!

What an amazing morning! The Olympic Women's Marathon trials passed just a few blocks from our apartment. We walked over the Mass. Ave bridge and saw these amazing athletes run the bridge loops. Deena Kastor made a great push to overtake the lead, Lewy Boulet, three miles from the finish. Joan Benoit Samuelson, winner of the Olympic gold medal in 1984, powered her way to a strong finish and hopefully made her goal of running a sub 2:50. In a short while, you should be able to see official results here, but unofficial results at WBZ news posted Kastor's time at 2:29:35.

Joan Benoit Samuelson

Deena Kastor

Next Stop, Hopkinton!

Starting point, Hopkinton

Finish Line, Boston

Here we are! Just a few days and we'll be saying "remember the Boston race in 2008?" We are excited and hope to pick up our race packets at the expo tonight. For anyone who is interested, our bib numbers can be used to track our progress on the course by clicking the B.A.A. Site on race day:

Tim: Bib #21825

Marie: Bib #21806

Our timing chips will be going off at 5k intervals each time we cross the mat. With luck, we will make steady progress from Hopkinton to Boston!

How do I feel? Well, given the tendon injury, I have to be honest in saying that I do not know what will happen race day. I've made good progress this training season, we've cut some serious time in our pacing, and with a week break from running, I am reminding myself that anything can happen, including GOOD THINGS! If I find I cannot continue, I will deal with it when that happens, but I am hoping hard to pull out the fortitude I need to cross that line should my injury degrade on the course. I am grateful for all the support I've had and am honored to have the chance to run for Judy, and that together, Tim and I have raised more than $16,000.00 for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society! Whatever happens on Monday, I'll live to run another day, but I am grateful for every single moment training and fundraising this year with Team in Training and thank you all for helping this happen!

Boston Marathon Course Tips

This great article from Runner's World takes you through the marathon course and breaks out the course and mileage with excellent insider tips for running and managing the race.

I am going to focus on a few things:

• Starting conservatively: This is kind of done for you the first few miles due to the crowds, but it is important to watch your feet and not trip, and not to get carried away with the initial energy and downhills of the course.
• Fueling and drinking as needed: This should follow patterns during training, with any adjustments made for weather as needed.
• Getting to mile 15 in relaxed form
• Hitting the hills one at a time: The downhill after mile 15 is steep, and starts the counter going for the real hills of the race- the initial climb through 'Hell's Alley' over Route 128, the first hill at the turn onto Comm Ave, one more short one, then Heartbreak... Each hill gives you a good space to regroup in between, and recover heartrate and turnover on the downs.
• Pulling it out on Beacon Street: This is the place to pull out your guts and put them on the road- whatever fortitude you've got mentally, this will be the place to draw on it. Saving some strength for the bridge to Kenmore Square and the uphill right on Hereford.

Still facing the ankle injury and not sure what will happen! This week is a full stop on training to allow things to recover- I had great recovery on pacing and time on Saturday, which was enough to convince me that I will be able to run on Monday, as long as things don't degrade on the course. Next posts should be about race day tracking. Have a good week focusing, everyone!

Born to Run the Boston Marathon (video)

Get Ready, Boston! Watch the marathon course to this revved up songtrack and get ready for Monday!

The Marathon They Almost Canceled- Boston 2007

For anyone that ran last year, or is wondering what the forecast and race will bring this year- this article from the Boston Globe tells how close we all were to not running the 111th marathon!

Forecasts so far look perfect- overcast and 55 degrees, according to my teammate, Emily.

Let the good weather roll!

Women's Olympic Trials

The Women's U.S.A. Olympic Trials are coming to Boston! Over 150 elite female athletes will be running a marathon loop course around Boston the day before the marathon, April 20th, at 8 a.m.. The start and finish will be the marathon finish line, and the course will consist of a historic loop around the Back Bay followed by 4 6-mile loops running along Boylston, Comm Ave, Mass Ave and Memorial Drive. You can view the course here , or visit the event home page for more information, including videos and photos of the course, interviews with the athletes, and more. This event promises great spectating and should be an inspiration to all athletes, whether they are racing the next day or not! I will be cheering these amazing women athletes and looking forward to seeing them!

Thank Yous and Race Day Gear

I'd be remiss if I didn't thank all my friends, family, coaches and doctors for their encouragement working through my injury and ensuing setback. Thanks to you, I kept cross training instead of throwing in the towel! A million thank-yous! :-)

Race Day Gear: If you are running on the 21st, it is TIME to collect your race day gear! Although it's tempting to buy new gear at the expo before the race, it is best to run with clothes you know you'll be comfortable in. I remember wearing an untested clip-on belt pack my first marathon and finishing with a gouge in my hip.

If you aren't wearing a fuel belt, I recommend Race Ready shorts- they are shorts that have 7 (count 'em!) pockets that hold GU or other accessories. I used them on my 20 miler for the first time and can say they work great!

I plan to wear these over tights and instead of carrying 4 GUs in my fists, to put them snugly in the pockets instead.

Gear:

• Sunglasses and headwear: Sunglasses can be a big boon, from protecting your eyes from glare to keeping dust out of them. I wear hard contacts, so breezy spring days mean grit in the air and pain in the eyeballs. Find a pair that you can secure easily on top of your head or hat if not needed. For headwear, have fair weather gear- preferably light and wicking- hey, how about my fundraising Original Buff Headwear?, as well as bad weather gear- for especially rainy or snowy days, pick a lidded top like a baseball cap or tennis visor.


• Layers: Check the weather forecast, but here in Boston, you should be ready for anything from freezing temps up into the 70's. If the weather is under 45 degrees, think seriously about wearing tights- going out too fast in shorts could be a good way to pull a muscle, and you don't want to do that! I wear an extra layer on top over my singlet, which I easily tie around my waist after warming up- this is personal preference. If you do this, be aware that race day photographers can only locate you by your number- lift up your shirt if you see cameras and want a pre-race photo. I also like to wear mittens, which I can take off and hold if my hands get warm during the race.


• Throw aways/warm-up gear: Get your throw-aways ready: There are volunteers who will be collecting all warm-up gear as you head from the corrals to the start line, so don't feel bad about the waste. Buy some cheap layers to keep your body temps up the morning of the race, and don't hesitate to throw in rain ponchos or garbage bags, too. The garbage bags help to keep in your body heat, and can be easily tossed into the garbage before the start. DO NOT TOSS onto the course! You will endanger your fellow runners!!!!!


• Sneakers and socks: You should have your race day sneakers broken in on at least a few runs by now. If you don't, think about wearing a pair that you already have that are still relatively fresh. Sneakers can last from 300-500 miles depending on the runner, and it's better to wear a pair that are broken in vs. a pair that might rub your feet the wrong way. Read this interesting article about researchers who are developing a way for our sneakers to TELL us when they are worn out. Pick your socks for their anti-blister and padding properties- something you've used through your training and are used to now.


• Fuel and first aid: Start peeking in your gear to see that your favorite fuel and portable first aid supplies are in stock. I like to make sure I have waterproof band aids, duct tape, wipe-on anti-blister lubricant, extra safety pins, and of course, money, but there's still a few weeks to get that! It goes without saying that any inhalers or other needed medications should be filled as well so that they'll be full and ready if needed on the big day.
  

Back in the running- 20 any which way you can

Well! Good news for me! The MRI showed inflammation of the tibialis posterior tendon, but the bones are good to go! I had the go ahead from my coaches and chiropractor, and took my 20 miler on a rainy Friday evening- 8 miles solo, and the last 12 with my husband, who had run his 20 a week earlier.

Not pretty, not fast, but DONE! The foot is still swollen, but knowing that I could complete 20 miles with the injury was very important to me. The transition after 2 weeks on the elliptical was definitely tough, but getting back on the road has been great! Now all I need is this CD:

Just kidding. I think all should be well in a short period of time. Acupuncture, ultrasound, electric stim, and massage are all on the schedule, and along with the taper, I remain hopeful.

I hope to post some more soon, and am going to focus the week on thanking my supporters, getting their names on my running singlet, and enjoying the taper!

For anyone else on the taper, I'll mention my coach's advice- the weather's warming up and it seems like everyone and their dog is out there running every day. DON'T. You do not need to- your body is ready for the race, and the best thing you can do to help it is to give it the rest it needs to rebuild itself for the big day. Keep your weekday runs intense, but make sure you are cutting down on the mileage. Your body will thank you.

Here's to the taper!

Elliptical Limbo

Today was a 15 mile workout on the elliptical trainer. How does that feel, you ask? Well, here's what the bottom of my feet FELT like after 30 minutes:

Okay, slight exaggeration, but has anyone else experienced this? The bottoms of the feet start turning numb- I wished I could flip it out and numb up my brain instead so that I didn't have to watch the time go crawling slowly by like an inebriated slug. Which went on for hours, or at least more than 2 hours- seemed like 4! I did feel like I was going through a major mental challenge and that maybe I gained something (?) by figuring out how to cope.

Besides watching other people sweat, changing machines when someone who seemed like they had a raging flu ran facing me and coughing non-stop, entertainment choices indoors were slim. There's always music or TV if you prefer, which I don't, at least not while 'running'. :) But I did try to read the New Yorker, which was an interesting if not fruitful challenge.

I'm still waiting for the results of my foot MRI, hoping I don't have a stress fracture. The plan is to try running on real outdoors ground for a short trek tomorrow and if all goes well and the scan comes back clean, to attempt my 20 miler this weekend. Let's see what happens!

I've plugged most of my website items, but read this article from the New York Times talking about the decline of North American songbirds and its correlation with agricultural pesticide use. The article discusses ways for consumers to avoid foods that are bad for the environment and in many cases, bad for us and our families.

One of the top grocery list items mentioned is ORGANIC COFFEE. Most coffees we see in the grocery stores are grown in fields that are heavily treated with all types of chemicals, from herbicides to insectides and more. To buy organic coffee is to support traditional coffee farming grown under leaf canopy and in most cases, to support the sustainability of these farming methods and the communities who use them. Interested in putting a better coffee in your body and in your cupboard? Check out my Dean's Beans coffee fundraising page. Dean's Beans makes a mean cup of Joe, is organic, fair trade and shade grown, which is why I have about 10 lbs of Ring of Fire beans in my freezer at any given time. And did I mention- all profits go to support The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and that each purchase enters you in a drawing for 50.00 worth of Dean's Beans coffee or organic cocoa? Happy Java drinking, everyone!