Tonight's practice was great! First of all, it was close to 80-hundred degrees with at least 79% humidity (yes....we 'desert dwellers' are a bit over dramatic!), so diving into the pool for the first time felt amazing! Our workout consisted of the following sets:

• 10 push-ups
• 10 air squats
• 5 'burpies'
• 150 meter swim

And that was repeted 6 times! The purpose was to train our body to keep swimming when we get tired. I will need the endurance conditioning for my 1.2 mile swim coming up in a few months!

But while I was swimming, I was thinking to myself that this workout was nothing! Nothing compared to what cancer patients go through every day of their lives. The exhaustion they feel before, during, and after treatment; the lack of appetitite; the nauseau; and all of the other side of effects of receiving these life-saving treatments.

I knew my workout would be over in 30-40 minutes; but knowing what a cancer patient goes through ~ typically months of treatment that they receive once every few weeks, or once a week, or a few times in one week. I definately had it easy today.

Won't you help me continue fundraising so that researchers can finally find a cure for cancer? With your tax-deductible donation, you will be helping find that cure as well as assist patients and families that are currently dealing with everything I mentioned above.

Please click on the "Donate Now" button on this page and join the fight to help find the cure!

Tomorrow, we run A Mountain! For those of you local to the Phoenix area, you know what that means; for my out of town family and friends, let me just say it will be a true test of my training! Sunday we are back out at the BeeLine Highway for a 2-hour bike ride followed by a 30-minute run "brick" workout! It will be hot and humid for both, but I already know I will get through them!

Thank you in advance for your donation!

~ heather :o)

Can you believe the 4th of July is THIS WEEK?? Where is 2012 going? Time is flying by. As you prepare to celebrate this holiday, probably spend some quality time with family and friends, enjoy the pool and a cookout, take a moment to think of those that are unable to celebrate this and so many other holidays.

Undergoing cancer treatment is not easy...trust me, I know. It makes you weak and sick. You have no energy to do the fun things...or much of anything at all. The smell of food makes you naseaus. Doing "normal" everyday things like getting out of bed is a challenge.

That is why I need YOUR help right now. Your tax-deductible doantion to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society will help fund necessary research to find a cure for blood cancers, and hopefully all cancers. No one should have to spend a holiday...or any other day...suffering from the side effects of cancer treatment. No family should have to spend another day with their loved one in a hospital room or cancer center. No child, teen, or adult should have to experience the side effects of Chemotherappy or Radiation Treatment.

Please, help me out this holiday and make a donation to my fundraising. You could be helping someone celebrate many more holidays of their own!

Thank you for your love and support during my journey!

~ heather

Hey there Family, Friends, and Followers -

Hope this note finds you well! I wanted to update you on how our progress with training is going! Our team meets three times a week for practice and it is starting to pay off! I can tell we are getting stronger! Swims are better, bike rides are longer, runs are faster! Temps in Arizona are nearing 110* daily, so it is challenging to get out of the AC and get our workouts in. But our team is amazing! We are fighting through the heat for those that are not able to fight for themselves.

Did you know that every 4 minutes in the US, someone is diagnosed with a blood cancer? And that every 10 minutes someone in the US passes away from a blood cancer? YOU can help change that. Your tax-deductible donation to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society will be used for life-saving cancer research. Please consider making a donation today!

I will continue to update you throughout the training season! Thank you for following along with me this season!

Love always,

~ heather

This past Saturday, May 19th the Fall 2012 Season of Team In Training kicked off with a BANG!! It was a fun and motivating event that set the mood for the remainder of the season. If you were coming into Team In Training without a direct connection to Leukemia or other blood cancers, you certainly left with a connection. We heard a very motivational story from one of our amazing Honored Heros. I felt the "If she can do it, so can I" vibe pulsate throughout the room. It was really special.

The Triathlon team met up so that we could meet our new coach, hear from the captains, and get to know each other a little better! We have a great group of participants for the San Diego Olympic Classic and the Soma Half Ironman! This will be a truly amazing and special season!

Our first practice with the Tri team is tomorrow, Wednesday! it is a pool workout. I won't be able to participate yet (I had surgery on 5/10 and I'm still healing!!), but I will be there in support of my TEAM mates! I am so excited to see the energy this team brings to every practice!

It is getting hot here in the Valley of the Sun, so training will become very challenging. But I know we are all up to the challenge before us.

I would like to remind everyone why I am doing this. THIS is for Madyn! A precious little girl batteling ALS. Let's keep fighting to find a cure so no other child has to go through what she has! Please make a tax-deductable donation to my fundraising efforts now! You won't be sorry you did! And THANK YOU in advance for your donation!

Madyn this is for you!

Dear Family, Friends, Acquaintances, and ANYONE looking to help find a cure for cancer,

I’m at it again! I have joined my friends at Team In Training to train for another race and raise funds to support cancer research, treatment, and patient services. This time it isn’t a half marathon (13.1 miles) or a full marathon (26.2 miles). Nope…this time I’m going BIGGER! I have my sights set on a Half Ironman (1.2 mile swim followed by a 56 mile bike ride followed by a 13.1 mile swim ~ all in one day). For anyone that knows me, you KNOW I will cover the distance. But what I need YOUR help with is meeting my fundraising goals!

$1,650 is very doable to achieve if everyone I know donates a mere $10!! Can you give up Starbucks two days in a week? Are you willing to pack your lunch instead of going out with a co-worker one day? Can you car-pool once a week instead of driving alone? How about you clean out your couch cushions and see how much change you find there?!?

Please say you will help me by making a tax-deductible donation right here! Click on the “Donate now” button and help me out.

Throughout this season, I will keep you posted on my training and fundraising progress, but also about an AMAZING little girl I am dedicating my season to. Her name is Madyn Fraizer and she is the most precious little thing I have ever set my eyes on. In June 2011 at 20 months old, Madyn was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). She is a fighter and has received some pretty harsh treatments but always seems to have a smile on her face!

Let’s join together to find a cure so no other child, teen or adult needs is subjected to this horrible disease.

Thank you in advance for your donation and for following me this season! My race, the SOMA Triathlon, is Sunday, October 21, 2012 at Tempe Beach Park, Tempe, Arizona. If you are local (or want to come out!!), I would LOVE to see your smiling face on the course helping me through 70.3 miles of swimming, biking and runnin!

Please be sure to check back to my fundraising page regularly for updates throughout the season!

Love always,

~ heather :)