I can hardly believe it myself, but I am just $24.66 away from 2/3 of my fundraising goal!!!!!! Oh my goodness. I am so inspired by all of the people who have so kindly donated to my fundraising. Just today, we were out running up and down, up and down, up and down this horrendous hill on the west side, and I literally had to reach into my memory and think of all of people in whose memory and honor I am running. I had to think of all the people who have supported me, financially and otherwise, to help me make it to the top of that hill. What an inspiration!
And now I have another plea. I have a wonderful running buddy, her name is Kiernan (see photo, right). Kiernan has been an absolute inspiration to me with her commitment to this cause and her running skills that are just one step ahead of mine, making her the perfect partner! Anyway, she has tried many ways of fundraising and is having trouble getting donations and I'm worried that she might leave Team In Training which would obviously be a loss to me, but also a loss to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society because they would lose all those donation dollars that she could raise!!
Anyway, I am asking any of my faithful donors who can to give just $20 to help raise Kiernan's spirits and keep her relentless for the cure that we all look for: the cure for blood cancers. I know she would really appreciate it, as she needs to raise $495 in 2 weeks to recommit to team in Training. Please click here if you would like to help Kiernan out, and know that I thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Monday, January 29, 2007
Almost Better!!
Well, it all went down just like I said in "The Bad News." That's right, I got strep throat last week and have been, essentially, on bed rest since Thursday. I had to miss my run on Saturday, so I was unable to advance to 12 miles this weekend. I was able to run 6 miles on Sunday, so I do not feel entirely useless, but nonetheless, I am really excited to get back in the swing of things tomorrow at practice! By all accounts, we'll be kicking our butts on hills tomorrow night, just what the doctor ordered!
In other news, I have surpassed $2,500 in fundraising!!! WOW!! I cannot describe how blessed I have been by the generosity of friends and family who have supported the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society on my behalf. Thank you so much for your support. If you have not yet donated, please join the wonderful people to the right by clicking "Donate Securely Now." No amount is too large (duh!) or too small. Thank you in advance!
In other news, I have surpassed $2,500 in fundraising!!! WOW!! I cannot describe how blessed I have been by the generosity of friends and family who have supported the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society on my behalf. Thank you so much for your support. If you have not yet donated, please join the wonderful people to the right by clicking "Donate Securely Now." No amount is too large (duh!) or too small. Thank you in advance!
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Meet my honored teammate: Amanda Tolleson
I would like to introduce you all, my generous supporters (in spirit and through your donations), to one of my honored teammates, Amanda Tolleson. Amanda's story hits particularly close to home for me because she was exactly my age when she was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Wow. I mean who really things about the fact that THEY could get cancer at any point? Perfectly health women MY AGE can just find out one day that they have cancer. Not to focus too much on me, but this really opened my eyes. It makes it all that more inspiring to see women like Amanda who have fought cancer and won. Thank you for your inspiration! Please read on to find out a little more about Amanda.
Name: Amanda Tolleson
Age: 26
Occupation: Consumer Research Consultant
Type Of Blood Related Cancer: Hodgkin’s Lymphoma – Type A – Stage 2
Age/Date Diagnosed: 23 - March 2004
Current Status: In remission
What was your treatment like? I received 6 months of chemotherapy. I went every 2 weeks and my treatment lasted 6 hours at a time. Based on my type of chemo, I was supposed to lose all of my hair in the first few weeks. I shaved my head, because I wanted to make the choice to be bald, instead of have it happen to me. But, apparently, I have superior hair genes, and I never lost all of my hair! It thinned a lot, but I held onto a lot of it. Every time I went back in for chemo, the nurses and the other patients couldn’t believe I still had hair. My hair actually became a sign of hope for many of the other patients! After the 6 months, I was in remission, and I have been ever since.
How has your outlook on life and priorities changed due to the blood cancer? I like life much more in the moment now. I have always been very responsible and cautious, and I learned to value spontaneity. You must grab life by the horns and never let an opportunity for happiness slip by you, from little things, like dinner with friends to larger things, like travel.
What was the worst part of having a blood cancer? The worst part was definitely telling friends and family. Telling my mom, my dad, and my brother was the most horrible thing I have had to do in my life. I knew the kind of pain I was about to bring into their life and I could barely utter the words. Also, I had a scare about 6 months ago where they found a few spots on my CT scan, and I had go in for another scan. The idea of going through this again was terrifying.
What is something positive that has come out of this experience? A new perspective on life, and feeling the strength of the relationships in my life. My family, my close friends, and even friends I hadn’t heard from in years reached out to me and supported me during my fight against cancer.
Name: Amanda Tolleson
Age: 26
Occupation: Consumer Research Consultant
Type Of Blood Related Cancer: Hodgkin’s Lymphoma – Type A – Stage 2
Age/Date Diagnosed: 23 - March 2004
Current Status: In remission
What was your treatment like? I received 6 months of chemotherapy. I went every 2 weeks and my treatment lasted 6 hours at a time. Based on my type of chemo, I was supposed to lose all of my hair in the first few weeks. I shaved my head, because I wanted to make the choice to be bald, instead of have it happen to me. But, apparently, I have superior hair genes, and I never lost all of my hair! It thinned a lot, but I held onto a lot of it. Every time I went back in for chemo, the nurses and the other patients couldn’t believe I still had hair. My hair actually became a sign of hope for many of the other patients! After the 6 months, I was in remission, and I have been ever since.
How has your outlook on life and priorities changed due to the blood cancer? I like life much more in the moment now. I have always been very responsible and cautious, and I learned to value spontaneity. You must grab life by the horns and never let an opportunity for happiness slip by you, from little things, like dinner with friends to larger things, like travel.
What was the worst part of having a blood cancer? The worst part was definitely telling friends and family. Telling my mom, my dad, and my brother was the most horrible thing I have had to do in my life. I knew the kind of pain I was about to bring into their life and I could barely utter the words. Also, I had a scare about 6 months ago where they found a few spots on my CT scan, and I had go in for another scan. The idea of going through this again was terrifying.
What is something positive that has come out of this experience? A new perspective on life, and feeling the strength of the relationships in my life. My family, my close friends, and even friends I hadn’t heard from in years reached out to me and supported me during my fight against cancer.
Here's a picture of Amanda three months after chemo, sporting what she calls here "chiapet look" and next to it is an amazing chart that shows the real progress being made against blood cancers; just look at the increase in survival rates in the last 40 years!
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Houston, we have a problem
(no, the problem is not the missing text below, read on)
Well, there's good news, and there's bad news. Which do you want first? Well here's an idea. You can pick! I will label the good news and the bad news and will put the text in white. Then you can highlight which one you want to read first (listed here in no particular order). How interactive is THIS?!
The good news:
Well, the good news is that my marathon experience just keeps getting better!!! Not only have I reached almost $2,200 in my fundraising, thanks to the generous support of friends and family like you, but I have also had an amazing time getting to know my teammates and increasing my mileage every week since December!! Last week, I ran the longest run of my life (11.31 miles) and felt great doing it thanks to my friend Kiernan (pictured right). Furthermore, I have been so inspired seeing my teammates out there with me in the dead of winter running up and down hills and basically wishing we could all just curl up and go to sleep. Not to mention the inspiration I gain from your comments and e-mails (thanks, Carole!). So the good news is that I wouldn't give this up for the world!!
Oh, the other good news is that we ran 6 miles up and down Cat Hill tonight (so named because there is a statue of a cat sitting on an overhang about halfway up the hill, very freaky) and was told by the coach that Kiernan and I should probably join the "advanced" running group. Regardless of the actual level of skill I possess at this running thing, I really appreciate the affirmation by the coaches, and it makes me want to try even harder!!! Unfortunately, that might not be possible for the next few days because of....(see below if you read here first)
The bad news:
Thanks to my lovely boyfriend to whom I am eternally grateful (and before that, his little gaggle of 3rd grade students), I do believe that I am coming down with Strep Throat. That's right...strep throat!!! I have never had such a disease, in fact, I think I have spent my whole life successfully avoiding any of those diseases that make people go "oooh, that's not good." Well, alas, as I lay here post-run, I can feel my immune system trying its darndest to fight off this little bugger because my muscles ache, my inner ear hurts when I swallow, and my cheeks feel flushed and feverish. This is very bad news, and I hope that I will be able to heal if I take it easy until Saturday. With our mileage picking up, I really don't feel comfortable missing a week. Saturday long runs are really important for building endurance, so please say a prayer for me so that I can get back to enjoying....(see above if you read here first)
Well, there's good news, and there's bad news. Which do you want first? Well here's an idea. You can pick! I will label the good news and the bad news and will put the text in white. Then you can highlight which one you want to read first (listed here in no particular order). How interactive is THIS?!
The good news:
Well, the good news is that my marathon experience just keeps getting better!!! Not only have I reached almost $2,200 in my fundraising, thanks to the generous support of friends and family like you, but I have also had an amazing time getting to know my teammates and increasing my mileage every week since December!! Last week, I ran the longest run of my life (11.31 miles) and felt great doing it thanks to my friend Kiernan (pictured right). Furthermore, I have been so inspired seeing my teammates out there with me in the dead of winter running up and down hills and basically wishing we could all just curl up and go to sleep. Not to mention the inspiration I gain from your comments and e-mails (thanks, Carole!). So the good news is that I wouldn't give this up for the world!!
Oh, the other good news is that we ran 6 miles up and down Cat Hill tonight (so named because there is a statue of a cat sitting on an overhang about halfway up the hill, very freaky) and was told by the coach that Kiernan and I should probably join the "advanced" running group. Regardless of the actual level of skill I possess at this running thing, I really appreciate the affirmation by the coaches, and it makes me want to try even harder!!! Unfortunately, that might not be possible for the next few days because of....(see below if you read here first)
The bad news:
Thanks to my lovely boyfriend to whom I am eternally grateful (and before that, his little gaggle of 3rd grade students), I do believe that I am coming down with Strep Throat. That's right...strep throat!!! I have never had such a disease, in fact, I think I have spent my whole life successfully avoiding any of those diseases that make people go "oooh, that's not good." Well, alas, as I lay here post-run, I can feel my immune system trying its darndest to fight off this little bugger because my muscles ache, my inner ear hurts when I swallow, and my cheeks feel flushed and feverish. This is very bad news, and I hope that I will be able to heal if I take it easy until Saturday. With our mileage picking up, I really don't feel comfortable missing a week. Saturday long runs are really important for building endurance, so please say a prayer for me so that I can get back to enjoying....(see above if you read here first)
Monday, January 22, 2007
MORE than halfway there!!!
A big thank-you to Brent, Miranda, and Jim who all came through big time in the past two days to put me over the 1/2 way mark for my fundraising. You all truly are an inspiration. Thank you. Brent and Miranda (my cousin and cousin-in-law, for those who don't know), you have a special surprise coming your way :-)
Sunday, January 21, 2007
$33 to HALFWAY THERE!!!!
Ok, another prize (speaking of which, my Aunt Sheryl and Uncle Geoff won the previous prize, but I fogot to mail it...sorry about that! I promise, I will mail it soon!).
I have a special prize for the individual who donates $33, no more, no less to my fundraising. That's the amount that I need to get to 1/2 of my fundraising goal!! How exciting! :-) Please donate on my website by clicking "Donate Securely Now" or e-mail me if you would like to donate via check and I will take your word for it and reserve the prize for you. I hate to make my efforts to raise money for cancer into a competition, but I figure, if it works, it's worth it!!!! So that said, WHO'S IT GONNA BE?!!??!?!?!?!!?!??!
I have a special prize for the individual who donates $33, no more, no less to my fundraising. That's the amount that I need to get to 1/2 of my fundraising goal!! How exciting! :-) Please donate on my website by clicking "Donate Securely Now" or e-mail me if you would like to donate via check and I will take your word for it and reserve the prize for you. I hate to make my efforts to raise money for cancer into a competition, but I figure, if it works, it's worth it!!!! So that said, WHO'S IT GONNA BE?!!??!?!?!?!!?!??!
Longest Run Again :-)
Well, I have officially increased the longest that I have ever run!! That's right, yesterday I ran 11.31 miles at Team In Training practice, and believe me, I'm feeling it today!
The temperature Saturday morning was about 24 degrees when I left my apartment at 8am to head to our meeting spot at 72nd St. and Riverside Dr. Pair that with a bitter cold wind off the Hudson, and it was quite chilly when we started running.
I don't know if I've told you yet, but I have this great new friend who has become my running partner in crime. Her name is Kiernan and we have a great time running together. I especially enjoy having the opportunity to hang out with someone who is also from the midwest, she has such a great accent! Anyway, Kiernan and I did all 11.31 miles together, and we did it in very good time as well.
When we started running, it was still very cold and the roads in the park had not been salted, so we literally were sliding down the road rather than running. But as we continued on our two 5-mile loops, the road started to thaw and the weather got a little warmer. It was a beautiful winter morning in the park and many people were out running and enjoying it. Toward the end, though, I actually started having trouble talking because my bottom lip was numb. Kiernan was laughing at me because I probably sounded drunk, but I just couldn't control my bottom lip!!
I must admit, the best part was the coffee from starbucks that we had right after we finished. I don't think any warm liquid has ever tasted so good! Well, I think Taylor and I might take a short run this afternoon, just to wind down from the big day yesterday. Thanks for reading. Here's a picture of Kiernan and I at the end of our run. I'm sure that you can tell by the picture how COLD and windy it was. Good times :-)!
The temperature Saturday morning was about 24 degrees when I left my apartment at 8am to head to our meeting spot at 72nd St. and Riverside Dr. Pair that with a bitter cold wind off the Hudson, and it was quite chilly when we started running.
I don't know if I've told you yet, but I have this great new friend who has become my running partner in crime. Her name is Kiernan and we have a great time running together. I especially enjoy having the opportunity to hang out with someone who is also from the midwest, she has such a great accent! Anyway, Kiernan and I did all 11.31 miles together, and we did it in very good time as well.
When we started running, it was still very cold and the roads in the park had not been salted, so we literally were sliding down the road rather than running. But as we continued on our two 5-mile loops, the road started to thaw and the weather got a little warmer. It was a beautiful winter morning in the park and many people were out running and enjoying it. Toward the end, though, I actually started having trouble talking because my bottom lip was numb. Kiernan was laughing at me because I probably sounded drunk, but I just couldn't control my bottom lip!!
I must admit, the best part was the coffee from starbucks that we had right after we finished. I don't think any warm liquid has ever tasted so good! Well, I think Taylor and I might take a short run this afternoon, just to wind down from the big day yesterday. Thanks for reading. Here's a picture of Kiernan and I at the end of our run. I'm sure that you can tell by the picture how COLD and windy it was. Good times :-)!
Thursday, January 18, 2007
I can run a mile!!!
Well, I guess technically I can run more than a mile (you thought you were supporting a major failure for a second there, didn't you!), but this week, I discovered that I can actually run a "respectable" mile! What I mean is, we had our first test for Team In Training this week and I managed to run three miles at the following paces:
1st Mile - 7:31
2nd Mile - 7:49
3rd Mile - 7:54
I know these times might not sound fast for you, but last season (in September), I did the same workout and my miles were all at least 20 seconds LONGER than here! Oh, and don't go thinking I'm a super star or anything, we ran these mile repeats with .7 miles of cool-down in between!
Ok, now for something a little LESS enthusiastic. So lately, my internet at my apartment has been EXTREMELY erratic. Last Tuesday or so, Verizon shut it off because the payment didn't go through because my roommate had gotten a new credit card. THEN, I got back from a trip home this weekend, and for whatever reason my computer doesn't even think it HAS a wireless card. I mean seriously! So, the problem that this presents is like nine-fold. First, I can't blog from home, and I have to squeeze it in elsewhere (this blog was written from home and saved and I am posting from work). Second, I cannot send out all my pestering e-mails because I can't access my personal e-mail at home. So the only way to actually get them out the door is to send from my work address, which I would REALLY prefer not to do (or I can come up with some complicated send-to-myself-then-forward-to-the-real-recipient scheme, but that's just a lot of extra work!). Finally, I cannot keep nearly as up-to-date with my e-mail as I would like, especially not with my wonderful donors!!! So of course, if you're here, I've probably already e-mailed you a gazillion times and you have probably already donated (THANK YOU!), but I am struggling with how to stay in touch with all those people who HAVEN'T heard from me 35 times!
Obviously, there is little you can do to fix my internet, but you could help my out by PLEASE mentioning my blog and my plight to our mutual friends. Let them know that you have supported me and that you believe in this cause. I can use all the extra marketing I can, especialyl given my annoying situation. So thank you very very much for reading. Check back soon, because I plan to get some more video this weekend! Here's a brief Ramon-ism (our coach is hilarious) to keep you entertained:
"I was very impressed by some of the times that we saw, specially from those of you that think of yourselves as `really beginners' you did good kids, you did very good !CONGRAFREAKINGLATIONS !!" (shouldn't it be congraTUfreakinglations?, what do I know!)
1st Mile - 7:31
2nd Mile - 7:49
3rd Mile - 7:54
I know these times might not sound fast for you, but last season (in September), I did the same workout and my miles were all at least 20 seconds LONGER than here! Oh, and don't go thinking I'm a super star or anything, we ran these mile repeats with .7 miles of cool-down in between!
Ok, now for something a little LESS enthusiastic. So lately, my internet at my apartment has been EXTREMELY erratic. Last Tuesday or so, Verizon shut it off because the payment didn't go through because my roommate had gotten a new credit card. THEN, I got back from a trip home this weekend, and for whatever reason my computer doesn't even think it HAS a wireless card. I mean seriously! So, the problem that this presents is like nine-fold. First, I can't blog from home, and I have to squeeze it in elsewhere (this blog was written from home and saved and I am posting from work). Second, I cannot send out all my pestering e-mails because I can't access my personal e-mail at home. So the only way to actually get them out the door is to send from my work address, which I would REALLY prefer not to do (or I can come up with some complicated send-to-myself-then-forward-to-the-real-recipient scheme, but that's just a lot of extra work!). Finally, I cannot keep nearly as up-to-date with my e-mail as I would like, especially not with my wonderful donors!!! So of course, if you're here, I've probably already e-mailed you a gazillion times and you have probably already donated (THANK YOU!), but I am struggling with how to stay in touch with all those people who HAVEN'T heard from me 35 times!
Obviously, there is little you can do to fix my internet, but you could help my out by PLEASE mentioning my blog and my plight to our mutual friends. Let them know that you have supported me and that you believe in this cause. I can use all the extra marketing I can, especialyl given my annoying situation. So thank you very very much for reading. Check back soon, because I plan to get some more video this weekend! Here's a brief Ramon-ism (our coach is hilarious) to keep you entertained:
"I was very impressed by some of the times that we saw, specially from those of you that think of yourselves as `really beginners' you did good kids, you did very good !CONGRAFREAKINGLATIONS !!" (shouldn't it be congraTUfreakinglations?, what do I know!)
Saturday, January 13, 2007
10 Miles and One Breaking-and-Entering Later
I ran 10 miles today (7 of them very quiet because my iPod died). To do this in the very small town of Perrysburg, I had to run a 5 mile loop twice, and it was actually quite enjoyable. I parked the truck at my church, which was on my pre-planned loop and began my run. The first 5 miles only took me about 45 minutes, which is actually quite speedy for me. I realize that this makes me a bit of a freak, but I really enjoyed running in the 34 degree weather. Cold weather running is my favorite!
After the first loop, I stopped back at the truck to get a Power Gel and a drink of water. I actually had to go to the bathroom pretty bad after the first loop, and I noticed that another car was parked at the church. Hoping that this was an indication that someone else was inside the church (and therefore it was unlocked), I tried the door. Sure enough, it opened, and I ventured inside to use the bathroom. I planned to say "Hello, I was running, that's my truck in the parking lot, and I go to church here - well, when I'm home, which isn't very often, but I still go to church here." or something to that effect. I noticed that the lights were on and the floors in the kitchen and the bathroom were freshly mopped (My mom asked me how I could tell this, so I will clarify - they were still wet). So, I went about my business, eating my Power Gel (more on that later) and going to the bathroom. While I was on the toilet, I hear someone walk by and pull the bathroom door shut (from the outside). As I was sitting on the toilet, I didn't want to launch into my pre-planned speech at that point, so I decided to flush the toilet quickly to ensure that the person realized that I was in there. Well, apparently the door made it shut first, because whoever was in the church did not hear the toilet, and when I managed to get the bathroom door open to identify myself, the two individuals who had apparently been cleaning the church were already on their way out the door locking it behind them. I decided that at that point it might not be a good idea to alert them of my presence (I didn't want it to seem like I was telling them they were bad keepers of the church for letting me sneak in!), so I just quietly hid in the hallway until they closed the door behind them and drove away. At that point, as I stood in the lobby of the church with all the lights off and the door locked, I realized that somehow, in the middle of a 10 mile run, I suceeded in accidentally breaking into my church. Good times!
The second loop of my run went very well, bolstered by the wonderful effects of the Power Gel that I took in the bathroom. Power Gels are little packets of gel (think of a large ketchup packet) that is concentrated with carbohydrates to provide an extra burst of energy halfway through a run of an hour and 15 minutes or more. The gels are easy to digest, so they work really well when you don't have time to stop for a full meal (though I sure WISHED I could have a full meal during my run today!
Well, I would like to type more, but my mom is going to take me to get some brownie mix so I can enjoy the fruits of burning 1,000 calories in one day! Thank you for reading and please LEAVE A COMMENT!!
After the first loop, I stopped back at the truck to get a Power Gel and a drink of water. I actually had to go to the bathroom pretty bad after the first loop, and I noticed that another car was parked at the church. Hoping that this was an indication that someone else was inside the church (and therefore it was unlocked), I tried the door. Sure enough, it opened, and I ventured inside to use the bathroom. I planned to say "Hello, I was running, that's my truck in the parking lot, and I go to church here - well, when I'm home, which isn't very often, but I still go to church here." or something to that effect. I noticed that the lights were on and the floors in the kitchen and the bathroom were freshly mopped (My mom asked me how I could tell this, so I will clarify - they were still wet). So, I went about my business, eating my Power Gel (more on that later) and going to the bathroom. While I was on the toilet, I hear someone walk by and pull the bathroom door shut (from the outside). As I was sitting on the toilet, I didn't want to launch into my pre-planned speech at that point, so I decided to flush the toilet quickly to ensure that the person realized that I was in there. Well, apparently the door made it shut first, because whoever was in the church did not hear the toilet, and when I managed to get the bathroom door open to identify myself, the two individuals who had apparently been cleaning the church were already on their way out the door locking it behind them. I decided that at that point it might not be a good idea to alert them of my presence (I didn't want it to seem like I was telling them they were bad keepers of the church for letting me sneak in!), so I just quietly hid in the hallway until they closed the door behind them and drove away. At that point, as I stood in the lobby of the church with all the lights off and the door locked, I realized that somehow, in the middle of a 10 mile run, I suceeded in accidentally breaking into my church. Good times!
The second loop of my run went very well, bolstered by the wonderful effects of the Power Gel that I took in the bathroom. Power Gels are little packets of gel (think of a large ketchup packet) that is concentrated with carbohydrates to provide an extra burst of energy halfway through a run of an hour and 15 minutes or more. The gels are easy to digest, so they work really well when you don't have time to stop for a full meal (though I sure WISHED I could have a full meal during my run today!
Well, I would like to type more, but my mom is going to take me to get some brownie mix so I can enjoy the fruits of burning 1,000 calories in one day! Thank you for reading and please LEAVE A COMMENT!!
Friday, January 12, 2007
Soap Box
I must admit to you, I am a little ashamed that my first reaction when I saw that this is the main story on cnn.com was, "Wow, there really must not be any news." I am ashamed because I, of all people, should know that cancer IS big news. I've just been so jaded by all the depressing (not that cancer isn't depressing), political, and sensational stories that are always on CNN.com that I actually had a reaction to a real human interest story. Of course, I do take a vested interest in the topic of research and care for cancer patients, so I did take time to read the postings and I must admit, I am angered by the treatment of this subject in our country and correspondingly pleased that CNN has allowed it to take center stage, however brief its time in the spotlight.
Lance Armstrong gave a speech recently saying that his patience is running thin with government cuts on cancer funding. Please read a few of his quotes which I find particularly inspiring for me as I train and fundraise. Thank you.
I really identify with this quote, as I am often told that I lack patience:
"I'm not known for my patience. Patience is a polite quality and often appropriate, but it rarely gets things done. Impatience, however, is the hunger for results and intolerance for excuses and delays. Impatience got me over countless mountain passes, across the finish line in New York City and through four rounds of ruthless chemotherapy 10 years ago."
"Cancer will impact one in two men and one in three women in their lifetime. It is devastating and it is pervasive. In fact, every year 1.3 million Americans are diagnosed with cancer. Thankfully, our country has made tremendous progress in this fight and produced remarkable advances in the way we prevent, diagnose and treat cancer. Today, in many cases, we can humbly say that cancer is no longer a death sentence. The medical advances achieved by our nation's best doctors and researchers have given us reasons to hope. But in spite of this vast body of knowledge, 1,500 people will die from cancer today and tomorrow and the day after that, often because the care they needed to prevent cancer or survive it was not available to them. "
"The political ads didn't tell voters that earlier in the year funding for cancer research was cut for the first time in 30 years. Nor did they explain that a lack of funding slows the pace of scientific discovery and the development of treatments. It is true that state and federal budgets are constrained by many important responsibilities. But cancer doesn't care about that."
Thanks, Lance. And thank you all for helping me in this VERY important fight. Please donate if you are able. Regardless, I ask that you tell me about the people you love who have been affected by cancer. I will need every ounce of their strength and inspiration to cross the finish line. Thank you!
"I'm not known for my patience. When it comes to cancer, I hope you aren't either."
Lance Armstrong gave a speech recently saying that his patience is running thin with government cuts on cancer funding. Please read a few of his quotes which I find particularly inspiring for me as I train and fundraise. Thank you.
I really identify with this quote, as I am often told that I lack patience:
"I'm not known for my patience. Patience is a polite quality and often appropriate, but it rarely gets things done. Impatience, however, is the hunger for results and intolerance for excuses and delays. Impatience got me over countless mountain passes, across the finish line in New York City and through four rounds of ruthless chemotherapy 10 years ago."
"Cancer will impact one in two men and one in three women in their lifetime. It is devastating and it is pervasive. In fact, every year 1.3 million Americans are diagnosed with cancer. Thankfully, our country has made tremendous progress in this fight and produced remarkable advances in the way we prevent, diagnose and treat cancer. Today, in many cases, we can humbly say that cancer is no longer a death sentence. The medical advances achieved by our nation's best doctors and researchers have given us reasons to hope. But in spite of this vast body of knowledge, 1,500 people will die from cancer today and tomorrow and the day after that, often because the care they needed to prevent cancer or survive it was not available to them. "
"The political ads didn't tell voters that earlier in the year funding for cancer research was cut for the first time in 30 years. Nor did they explain that a lack of funding slows the pace of scientific discovery and the development of treatments. It is true that state and federal budgets are constrained by many important responsibilities. But cancer doesn't care about that."
Thanks, Lance. And thank you all for helping me in this VERY important fight. Please donate if you are able. Regardless, I ask that you tell me about the people you love who have been affected by cancer. I will need every ounce of their strength and inspiration to cross the finish line. Thank you!
"I'm not known for my patience. When it comes to cancer, I hope you aren't either."
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Rough Workout!
True Story, this exchange took place over e-mail Tuesday afternoon before what I expected to be a difficult practice:
Me:
No!!! Do we REALLY have to run 5.1 miles doing effort intervals? 8 on 4 off, 10 on 4 off?! Is he crazy. That's right, I'm already whining....
My mentor Deb:
Buck up little camper, I have something like 10 on 4 off and then 12 on 4 off. :-P Think about it this way. It's only 5 miles, as opposed to the 9 or so you ran on Saturday. :-) See you tonight!!!!!
Aww....what a good mentor. And I am pleased to report that "buck up" I did!! For what it's worth, the intervals that I was referring to consisted of alternating 8 lamposts (about .4 miles) at a pace that requires significantly more effort than usual (we like to focus on effort, not speed, but speed definitely increases relative to the effort) and then 4 lamposts recovering at a slow pace. The reason I was so worried about this workout is: the week before we also did intervals, but we ran the SAME amount of time "on" as we did "off." This week's workout amounted to 2/3 "on" and only 1/3 "off." Suffice to say: this was a difficult run. However, I actually surprised myself by keeping up with other team members and continuing to push myself through the entire workout (5.1 miles). I can actually say it went by really fast because I was so focused on alternating my effort. It's amazing what a little distraction can do for you!
And, as usual, I got up just about 12 hours after this run to run again with Leslie, and somehow I managed to survive that too. This has definitely been a week of growing in the training department, and it will continue through this weekend when I will run 10 miles in Perrysburg!! I think that basically amounts to a lap around town plus some, we'll see what I can find.
Well, thank you for reading. I think next time I will blog a little more about my inspiration in these runs: my honored teammates. Please check back for that, and please click the donate link on the right if you haven't yet. I have raised almost $1,500, but I still have a ways to go to reach my goal!!!
Thank you!!!
Me:
No!!! Do we REALLY have to run 5.1 miles doing effort intervals? 8 on 4 off, 10 on 4 off?! Is he crazy. That's right, I'm already whining....
My mentor Deb:
Buck up little camper, I have something like 10 on 4 off and then 12 on 4 off. :-P Think about it this way. It's only 5 miles, as opposed to the 9 or so you ran on Saturday. :-) See you tonight!!!!!
Aww....what a good mentor. And I am pleased to report that "buck up" I did!! For what it's worth, the intervals that I was referring to consisted of alternating 8 lamposts (about .4 miles) at a pace that requires significantly more effort than usual (we like to focus on effort, not speed, but speed definitely increases relative to the effort) and then 4 lamposts recovering at a slow pace. The reason I was so worried about this workout is: the week before we also did intervals, but we ran the SAME amount of time "on" as we did "off." This week's workout amounted to 2/3 "on" and only 1/3 "off." Suffice to say: this was a difficult run. However, I actually surprised myself by keeping up with other team members and continuing to push myself through the entire workout (5.1 miles). I can actually say it went by really fast because I was so focused on alternating my effort. It's amazing what a little distraction can do for you!
And, as usual, I got up just about 12 hours after this run to run again with Leslie, and somehow I managed to survive that too. This has definitely been a week of growing in the training department, and it will continue through this weekend when I will run 10 miles in Perrysburg!! I think that basically amounts to a lap around town plus some, we'll see what I can find.
Well, thank you for reading. I think next time I will blog a little more about my inspiration in these runs: my honored teammates. Please check back for that, and please click the donate link on the right if you haven't yet. I have raised almost $1,500, but I still have a ways to go to reach my goal!!!
Thank you!!!
A little belated New Years fun
I just thought I'd post this fantastic little snippet from an e-mail from our coach, Ramon. Really, I want nothing more than to give you another picture into the man, the myth, and the legend that is "Raqui Bermo."
"Happy NewFreaking Year !!This is the year most of you will become freaking marathoners or half marathoners, ohhh yessssssss !!!I wish you the best of the best of the freaking best, I wish you the best of health and the most prosperous yet !! By the way, You missed a great Polar Bearing !!! it was fun, fun, fun7 brave ones conquered the rain, the cold, the waves and proudly represented the wild crazy side of TNT ! 4 times we went into that nice cool water !!!"
"Happy NewFreaking Year !!This is the year most of you will become freaking marathoners or half marathoners, ohhh yessssssss !!!I wish you the best of the best of the freaking best, I wish you the best of health and the most prosperous yet !! By the way, You missed a great Polar Bearing !!! it was fun, fun, fun7 brave ones conquered the rain, the cold, the waves and proudly represented the wild crazy side of TNT ! 4 times we went into that nice cool water !!!"
Monday, January 08, 2007
This may seem unrelated...
But I tend to think that this: http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/01/08/nyc.odor/index.html is very relevant to my current endeavor. That's right, one of the biggest stories on CNN.com today is that Manhattan stinks, literally. Awesome! While I was able to avoid contact with the foul odor, the buzz around town is that pretty much everything south of Rockefeller Center today smelled like booty. I actually found myself laughing silently today as I thought about all the jokes that I'm sure will find their way into the monologues of Conan, Leno and Letterman tonight. Please, if you are lucky enough to be allowed to stay up late enough to watch late night T.V., please leave me a comment with some of the jokes because I really want to hear them.
Despite the stink, I vow to get out there and keep training. Just further proof that I am so hard core! That's right, tomorrow night, I will measure my speed in three separate 1-mile intervals and will proudly report the results, whatever they may be.
Please check back. Oh, and if you haven't donated yet, what are you waiting for?! I've raised $1,500 so far, but that leaves $2,500 to go!!! Let's cure cancer!!
Despite the stink, I vow to get out there and keep training. Just further proof that I am so hard core! That's right, tomorrow night, I will measure my speed in three separate 1-mile intervals and will proudly report the results, whatever they may be.
Please check back. Oh, and if you haven't donated yet, what are you waiting for?! I've raised $1,500 so far, but that leaves $2,500 to go!!! Let's cure cancer!!
Sunday, January 07, 2007
1/3 Done!!
That's right, I have conquered 1/3 of my marathon in both fundraising and running!!!!
Today, I ran 9 miles (details to come) making it the first time this season that I have run more than 1/3 of the 26.2 mile marathon (last week I did 8). And, as of Thursday, when I received a very generous donation from my Aunt Sheryl and Uncle Geoff, I have also raised 1/3 of my $4,000 goal!!!!! I never would have dreamed of being this far along at this point (either with my training or fundraising!). Which means I owe all of you a big THANK YOU for your support!! I couldn't do this without you. Your generous donations keep me running because the remind me that you believe in the fight for a cure for cancer!! If you didn't, you wouldn't donate, right? Haha I'll just keep thinking that, because really some days that’s all that keeps me running is knowing that I am honoring those who have suffered from cancer and that if I finish this marathon, I will help the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society get that much closer to finding a cure!!
So about this week’s running. Well, I told you that last week I was running 8 miles in Atlanta. I did, in fact, drag my butt out of bed at about 10am and join Taylor and Collin (Kim’s fiancée Will’s roommate) for a run. It was a VERY difficult 8 miles, with much walking involved, because Atlanta is (who knew?!) VERY hilly!! I was absolutely dying at several points, not to mention the wind and rain that paid us a visit around miles 5-6. Good times. But, we did finish and had a lovely weekend once we got passed the run.
Tuesday’s practice was pretty difficult and much longer than I would have liked. We found out before practice that we would be running laps on the 102nd Street transverse in the park. This transverse ends right by my apartment. Typically, we leave our bags at a running store on the Upper East Side during practice, but to avoid having to go back to the East side (it is quite time-consuming), I decided to take my things back to my apartment and I went to practice with just my running clothes. That way, I was able to leave straight away and get home before 8pm. Only problem: That meant that I had to run to where practice starts, which is also on the east side. Basically, I ended up running 3 miles before practice even started and almost 7 miles total! It was actually not too hard, just a little bit more tiring than necessary! Our actual workout was an interval workout. We spent about a minute and a half running almost as fast as we could followed by a period of recovery. I felt really good during this workout and managed to keep up with people and even pass many people during the “top speed” intervals. Altogether, it was a very enjoyable practice!
Oh, and I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this, but I run Wednesday mornings with my friend Leslie. We get up at 6am and meet for a run around the reservoir in Central Park. It amounts to a 3.5 mile run. The only problem with this is that it means that I run twice in about 12 hours from after work on Tuesday until before work on Wednesday. It is quite draining, I must admit! So this week, after an especially long Tuesday night Team In Training practice, I was very tired for my run with Leslie. Somehow, though, I managed to do it, again buffered by the support I am receiving from each one of you!
Ok, FINALLY we arrive at today’s practice. Whew. I get tired just thinking about it. In fact, I can still feel the “running” in my throat which essentially amounts to that feeling you have right after you’re done running where it tickles a little when you breathe in. I’m still there. Anyway, you may be aware that it is unseasonably warm in New York this January. Today, for instance, it is 70 degrees and sunny. ON JANUARY 6th!!!! Crazy. So this morning’s run was quite toasty, I must admit. I started off running pretty quickly and feeling pretty good. It was cloudy when we first started, so the temperature wasn’t as draining. But once I hit the first hill, I was pretty much miserable for the rest of the run! I completed a five-mile loop first, stopping briefly for some water and then going on to a 4-mile look to finish the 9. The way I explained the difficulty was this: The distance was not the problem. Mile 9 was no more difficult than mile 1, the whole thing was just HARD. I could have gone another 2 miles, but I just didn’t want to. I guess that’s a good thing and a bad thing. It’s a good thing because it means I will probably be able to run as far as I need to from here on out. It is a bad thing because that means it will most likely be painful the whole way!
I’ll take painful over giving up every day. Thank you for your support!
Today, I ran 9 miles (details to come) making it the first time this season that I have run more than 1/3 of the 26.2 mile marathon (last week I did 8). And, as of Thursday, when I received a very generous donation from my Aunt Sheryl and Uncle Geoff, I have also raised 1/3 of my $4,000 goal!!!!! I never would have dreamed of being this far along at this point (either with my training or fundraising!). Which means I owe all of you a big THANK YOU for your support!! I couldn't do this without you. Your generous donations keep me running because the remind me that you believe in the fight for a cure for cancer!! If you didn't, you wouldn't donate, right? Haha I'll just keep thinking that, because really some days that’s all that keeps me running is knowing that I am honoring those who have suffered from cancer and that if I finish this marathon, I will help the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society get that much closer to finding a cure!!
So about this week’s running. Well, I told you that last week I was running 8 miles in Atlanta. I did, in fact, drag my butt out of bed at about 10am and join Taylor and Collin (Kim’s fiancée Will’s roommate) for a run. It was a VERY difficult 8 miles, with much walking involved, because Atlanta is (who knew?!) VERY hilly!! I was absolutely dying at several points, not to mention the wind and rain that paid us a visit around miles 5-6. Good times. But, we did finish and had a lovely weekend once we got passed the run.
Tuesday’s practice was pretty difficult and much longer than I would have liked. We found out before practice that we would be running laps on the 102nd Street transverse in the park. This transverse ends right by my apartment. Typically, we leave our bags at a running store on the Upper East Side during practice, but to avoid having to go back to the East side (it is quite time-consuming), I decided to take my things back to my apartment and I went to practice with just my running clothes. That way, I was able to leave straight away and get home before 8pm. Only problem: That meant that I had to run to where practice starts, which is also on the east side. Basically, I ended up running 3 miles before practice even started and almost 7 miles total! It was actually not too hard, just a little bit more tiring than necessary! Our actual workout was an interval workout. We spent about a minute and a half running almost as fast as we could followed by a period of recovery. I felt really good during this workout and managed to keep up with people and even pass many people during the “top speed” intervals. Altogether, it was a very enjoyable practice!
Oh, and I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this, but I run Wednesday mornings with my friend Leslie. We get up at 6am and meet for a run around the reservoir in Central Park. It amounts to a 3.5 mile run. The only problem with this is that it means that I run twice in about 12 hours from after work on Tuesday until before work on Wednesday. It is quite draining, I must admit! So this week, after an especially long Tuesday night Team In Training practice, I was very tired for my run with Leslie. Somehow, though, I managed to do it, again buffered by the support I am receiving from each one of you!
Ok, FINALLY we arrive at today’s practice. Whew. I get tired just thinking about it. In fact, I can still feel the “running” in my throat which essentially amounts to that feeling you have right after you’re done running where it tickles a little when you breathe in. I’m still there. Anyway, you may be aware that it is unseasonably warm in New York this January. Today, for instance, it is 70 degrees and sunny. ON JANUARY 6th!!!! Crazy. So this morning’s run was quite toasty, I must admit. I started off running pretty quickly and feeling pretty good. It was cloudy when we first started, so the temperature wasn’t as draining. But once I hit the first hill, I was pretty much miserable for the rest of the run! I completed a five-mile loop first, stopping briefly for some water and then going on to a 4-mile look to finish the 9. The way I explained the difficulty was this: The distance was not the problem. Mile 9 was no more difficult than mile 1, the whole thing was just HARD. I could have gone another 2 miles, but I just didn’t want to. I guess that’s a good thing and a bad thing. It’s a good thing because it means I will probably be able to run as far as I need to from here on out. It is a bad thing because that means it will most likely be painful the whole way!
I’ll take painful over giving up every day. Thank you for your support!
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Can you do $46.33?!?!
I need $46.33 to reach 1/3 of my fundraising goal. The person who donates that amount will receive an extra dose of thank yous AND, a special gift from Team in Training. I am very anxious to reach this milestone so if you are reading now and thinking to yourself "I've been planning to donate, but I just don't know how much to give and I just haven't found the right time to give it." Well, NOW is the time!! YOU can be that special person who gives a very random amount of money to get me 1/3 of the way there!! So don't hesitate, click "Donate Securely Now" NOW! :-)
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