Today is January 26th and it's been almost a week since I signed up for Team in Training to run a half marathon and set a goal to raise $3500 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I'm nervous, scared, and excited. I worry about my feet, will I be able to cross the finish line, can I raise enough money. I love the idea of challenging myself to something so physically demanding and accomplishing the goal.
October of 2008 I went to San Francisco to cheer on my cousins Jamie and Brian while they ran their first marathon and I walked away from that thinking I can do that! Fast forward to November 2009 and a seed started to formulate in my subconscious..."I should start to think about running that marathon before I turn 40 in 2011". Then the seed grew and it crept into my vocabulary and I found myself saying it aloud. First to a few co-workers, than to my cousin Jamie...I said the same thing...I want to run a marathon before I turn 40. I'm not really sure when it became I want to run...to I am going to run a half marathon this year. But somehow it did.
For those of you who haven't heard about Team In Training (TNT), The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) groundbreaking charity sports training program, has reached a remarkable milestone of raising $1 billion to support blood cancer research and patient services. Jamie and Brian trained for their marathon through this organization and I saw first hand how much support this group provides.
Jamie and Brian first got involved because of Brian's Dad, Rich Moniz. In early 2008 he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a cancer of the plasma cell. While Rich is not directly related to me, I've always felt like he was family and was shocked to hear this news. After chemo therapy and a stem cell transplant (I have extremely abbreviated his fight for survival), I am happy to say Rich is in complete remission. I know this would not have been possible if it wasn't for all the money raised through TNT! I unfortunately lost my maternal Grandmother to leukemia in 1990.
While you may not be personally affected or know someone with a blood cancer, the LLS sponsored research has been the catalyst for effective treatments for Hodgkins disease, lymphomas, and other common kinds of cancer, including stomach, breast, and lung cancer.
Not only have I committed to running this half marathon, I have also pledged to raise $3500 for LLS. 75% off of my fundraising goes directly to research and patient services. Anything I raise above $3500 goes 100% to the cause!
I welcome your support and contributions as I fundraise for this amazing cause! Every encouraging word and stories that you share will spur me on to the finish line.
Please come back often as I plan to keep a running blog of my trials and tribulations during my four month training. I must be crazy!!!! Nahhhh just excited to help the cause so more people like Rich can be cured!
October of 2008 I went to San Francisco to cheer on my cousins Jamie and Brian while they ran their first marathon and I walked away from that thinking I can do that! Fast forward to November 2009 and a seed started to formulate in my subconscious..."I should start to think about running that marathon before I turn 40 in 2011". Then the seed grew and it crept into my vocabulary and I found myself saying it aloud. First to a few co-workers, than to my cousin Jamie...I said the same thing...I want to run a marathon before I turn 40. I'm not really sure when it became I want to run...to I am going to run a half marathon this year. But somehow it did.
For those of you who haven't heard about Team In Training (TNT), The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) groundbreaking charity sports training program, has reached a remarkable milestone of raising $1 billion to support blood cancer research and patient services. Jamie and Brian trained for their marathon through this organization and I saw first hand how much support this group provides.
Jamie and Brian first got involved because of Brian's Dad, Rich Moniz. In early 2008 he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a cancer of the plasma cell. While Rich is not directly related to me, I've always felt like he was family and was shocked to hear this news. After chemo therapy and a stem cell transplant (I have extremely abbreviated his fight for survival), I am happy to say Rich is in complete remission. I know this would not have been possible if it wasn't for all the money raised through TNT! I unfortunately lost my maternal Grandmother to leukemia in 1990.
While you may not be personally affected or know someone with a blood cancer, the LLS sponsored research has been the catalyst for effective treatments for Hodgkins disease, lymphomas, and other common kinds of cancer, including stomach, breast, and lung cancer.
Not only have I committed to running this half marathon, I have also pledged to raise $3500 for LLS. 75% off of my fundraising goes directly to research and patient services. Anything I raise above $3500 goes 100% to the cause!
I welcome your support and contributions as I fundraise for this amazing cause! Every encouraging word and stories that you share will spur me on to the finish line.
Please come back often as I plan to keep a running blog of my trials and tribulations during my four month training. I must be crazy!!!! Nahhhh just excited to help the cause so more people like Rich can be cured!
