Over the past couple of weeks, I've been trying to give myself the full Team PAWS experience. I've heard about how fun the social events can be, and because I've been needing an extra push during my marathon training, I figured that feeling like a part of a team would help make my runs less of a mental challenge.
Tom, Nicco, and I attended a Team PAWS happy hour at Deuces & the Diamond Club up in Wrigleyville. The bar has a huge dog-friendly patio, and Team PAWS had a cabana reserved for the occasion. I didn't know what to expect; I assumed that everyone would be nice, because animal lovers seem to have such great hearts, but sometimes I get nervous meeting a bunch of new people. My ever-present insecurities seem to come out during events like these.
The happy hour was a blast. While Team PAWS has held other happy hours throughout the summer, I hadn't been able to make any of them, so we were the new kids. Everyone was friendly and made us feel welcome, and Nicco seemed to enjoy meeting all of the other dogs. He was the littlest, which is no surprise, but that never seems to bother him. While chatting with one of my teammates, she mentioned that she and another girl bring their dogs to nursing homes to visit with the residents.
Best. Idea. Ever.
One of my biggest fears is that I'll simply go through the motions of my life. When I'm feeling a bit melancholy, it's usually because I'm not fully engaged or I don't feel fulfilled. And when I feel that way, I know that I need to focus on someone other than myself. The worst thing I can do is get stuck in my own head, and I've been trying to think of ways to do more good in the world. Helping others will break up the routine of my days, and also help me focus on someone else's needs.
After the happy hour, I went onto the Chicago Cares website to see if they had any opportunities to bring pets to nursing homes. They had several sessions available, so Nicco and I will begin volunteering during the week after the marathon. I am incredibly excited! Many of the people who we will be visiting are bedridden and cannot participate in the other activities at the home. Hopefully Nicco's sweet demeanor will bring some cheer.
That being said, I need a change in my routine now. Sticking with my training runs has helped me focus on myself and my well-being, but I need to start giving back.
Coming off of the Team PAWS happy hour excitement, I decided to sign up for volunteer orientation at PAWS. I attended orientation this week and will be volunteering a few times a month in Dog Town. As a volunteer, I'll be walking dogs, playing with them (yeah, it's brutal...), cleaning up the dogs' suites, helping potential adopters find their new furry baby, and anything else that needs to be done. My goal is to become an Adoption Counselor, as I found our counselor to be helpful the day that we adopted Nicco. My other goal is to have a PAWS volunteer apron with my name embroidered on it. After all, I want to look fabulous while volunteering :)
The orientation only strengthened my commitment to the PAWS mission and my excitement over being a member of Team PAWS. This week marked another milestone, hitting my fundraising target! THANK YOU to all of the amazing people who donated to my Team PAWS page. You are all PAWStars and I'm so lucky to have you in my life!
I still have two months left, so I will continue my goal to SMASH my target. As I'm $3 over my target, I will be having a party in the fall to thank all of the wonderful donors. To be on that invite list - or to just help a wonderful no-kill shelter - please click on the link below:
http://paws.convio.net/site/TR/TeamPAWS/TeamPAWS?px=1031996&pg=personal&fr_id=1040
Speaking of the marathon, training is going quite well. I had my longest run of the season yesterday, a "light" 15 miles. The first half of the run was fantastic; I felt strong, full of energy, and in great spirits. Once we reached the turnaround point, things went downhill. Yesterday morning was both warm and humid, with zero breeze coming from the lakefront as we headed back north. My body was not happy! But we pushed through the run, and the pace group finished strong. Next weekend we tackle 16 miles, which was my most difficult run last year. I'm hoping to change that story this time around.
Less than two months left until the Chicago Marathon...let's do this!
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