BETTY - Ibuprophen: How much is too much?

Hello Everyone! My name is Betty and first off, I'm just going to say that I like to consider myself a runner. Not because I've been doing it for very long (maybe 2 years if you put it all together) or because I wake up every day and excitingly plan my daily run. Mainly I like to tell people that I'm a runner just to see them try to hide the look of shock and horror as they imagine my not so lean and graceful body lumbering down a running path wearing a snug, yet sporty outfit that accentuates all that this lady has to offer.

I actually started running a few years ago by mistake. I was trying to loose weight (a subject I'm sure to expand more upon -no pun intended- at a later date) and I was mainly getting my cardio from the elliptical and walking on the treadmill. One day I got on the treadmill (after the elliptical) and wasn't able to keep up my heart rate so I decided to see what would happen if I started jogging. I bumped up the speed and continued to run/jog for 12 minutes before I stopped and thought "what the hell just happened!?" I have always been the person to say that I would never run unless someone was chasing me with an ax (but that could be just from watching too many Friday the 13th movies as a young and impressionable child). But I believe that I had something of an exercising breakthrough that day - I was running, it felt great and I was actually enjoying it! So I decided to continue and see what would happen. I slowly worked up to run a few 5k's and then became pregnant with my 2nd child. I stopped running when I was about 5 months prego and didn't start back up again until last summer. I have been slowly trying to run more regularly, but my motivation to eat fabulous food and sit on my fabulous ass has been taking precedence.

This is the part of the story that I tell you why the hell i decided to sign up for a marathon when i hadn't even run more than 4 miles at a time and really had no interest in including myself among the Crazies that "do that sort of thing". I decided to sign up for the marathon because my friends were doing it and wanted me to do it as well. I'm still a sucker for peer pressure. and i could probably be considered a "joiner". I know, you probably can't wait to get to know me now!! But hang in there people, it gets better...
The thing is, is that these friends, the ladies that you will all read about, are really fabulous, and I thought that there would be nothing better than spending countless hours hanging out with them. And i do enjoy running, and am constantly amazed at what my body can do. And if all of this time running and hanging out with friends includes loosing weight and making me look completely amazing, toned and tight for my 20th High School reunion this summer, well then that is just gravy! (mmmmmm, gravy....)

But apparently I didn't read the fine print on the application form. There is an actual 'running schedule' that your supposed to follow! And people, they want us to run like, 4-5 days a week! This past Saturday I ran 9 miles - more than ever before, thankyouverymuch - but now i'm hobbling around the house like Yoda and trying to figure out how much ibuprofen i can take before it causes me to vomit blood like that girl from the Grey's Anatomy episode that I saw a while back?

So seriously...why am i doing this??
Sadly, I was reminded last week when a friend told me she was diagnosed with lymphoma and that she was starting chemo this past Thursday. So my Yoda problems...not so important. Raising money and awareness about leukemia and lymphoma to help those who are fighting for their lives...important.

So i'm going to run.