Racing to Save Lives

Welcome to my Team In Training home page.

May 20, 2009 marked the 12th anniversary of losing my sister, Jennifer, to Leukemia. Twelve years seems like a long time for most, but when you have lost someone so close to you, it seems like twelve seconds ago when you think of that special person! I've come across this opportunity to participate in a half marathon to raise money for the same blood disease that took my sister's life. I could not have asked for better timing!!!!

I'm training to participate in an endurance event as a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team In Training. All of us on Team In Training are raising funds to help stop leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma from taking more lives. I am completing this event in honor of all individuals who are battling blood cancers, and in memory of all those who have been affected. These people are the real heroes on our team, and we need your support to cross the ultimate finish line - a cure!

Please make a donation to support my participation in Team In Training and help advance LLS's mission. Together we can make a HUGE difference in finding a cure and enhancing the lives of everyone affected!

**As an added incentive, for anyone donating $100 or more, I will place your loved one's name on a ribbon and pin it to my shirt on race day!**

I hope you will visit my web site often. Be sure to check back frequently to see my progress (I will be updating with my training and fundraising journey!!) Depending on the amount of funds raised, I will be racing in San Francisco or Columbus. I'm determined to put up a big fight for this team and my sister!!!

Thanks for your support! Please feel free to copy/paste the link to my page anywhere and everywhere! The more support we find, the quicker we can find a cure!!!

TRAINING HAS BEGUN!

Check back often to see my progress as I log my progress here :)

*5/22/09: interval run/walk - 1mi run, 1mi walk! Great accomplishment for me!

*5/26/09: interval run/walk - 1.25mi run, 1.75mi walk! Increased one run interval to 1/2 mile and added an additional .25mi run interval! Felt great! Happy Birthday Jen!

*5/28/09: cycle 5.25mi. in 25 minutes. What a great morning workout!

*5/30/09: another interval run/walk using Nike+ ipod...loving it! Though I'm just hoping it's right...ran 2miles, walked 1mile!!

**Fundraising is going well!! Hitting up fellow softball players and bar-goers after the games has proven rather successful! I'm well on my way :) Keep the donations coming for this spectacular cause!

*6/2/09: another interval run/walk - 2mi run, 1.75mi walk! Increasing a bit each time! Felt great after a long hard day at work!

*6/4/09: cycle 7mi in 32 minutes. another great morning workout! Then, I ran a 1/2 and walked a 1/2 mi to calibrate the Nike+ipod. Wasn't too far off...then I played softball..what a day!

*Still training away. Even gave running outside a shot on Saturday which is much more difficult. Cycled 9 mi in 25 min last Thursday so that's great!

*6/21/09: I bought new shoes for running and I ran 2.1 miles!! Woohoo! That made me super excited. We'll see how it goes for the next run! I'm over $1000 towards my goal, too! So that's $1051 in one month! I'm on track to meet the fundraising goal! Keep the help coming!!

*6/23/09: I ran 2.5 miles!!!!!!!!!! Granted I did them in spurts and rested my legs for about 30 seconds in between but i still made it that far! Woohoo such progress!

*6/25/09: i cycled this afternoon...about 7.1 miles.

*6/26/09: I HAVE RAISED $1,151 !!!!!! keep those donations coming, every penny matters!

*6/27/09: took a run outside today w/ Mom...I made it .81 before I had to stop for a few then finished off the first mile running. Ran in the morning and my legs were tight... but I did walk/run 2.76 mi this morning w/ Momma! Great workout and even better company!

*6/30/09: today's run was a combination of 2.6mi running and 1.15mi walking...felt great! Trying to build up to the 4mi where I should be right now according to the training schedule.

*7/1/09: training today was crosstrain: aerobic workout. I spent a few minutes on the rowing machine warming up the muscles...then 5 minutes on the spin bike then to the stationary bike for 35...today's total...14miles biked! woohoo!

*7/3/09: today i ran 2 miles in ONE stretch!! and walked another mile for a total of 3...wow, felt good! Sometimes I surprise myself!

*7/5/09: today starts the 4 mi runs...well, I got halfway there. I ran 2mi and walked 1.15mi. i did some intervals today to get more mileage because my calves were tightening too much and my feet like to fall asleep these days! GRAND!

*7/10/09: I ran 2 and walked one today...and I hit the Columbus goal of $1,700 but $1.. $1,701 so far! Only $2,399 to get to SanFran.

*7/12/09: I ran 3 miles today!!!! and walked 1.25mi. I was bound and determined to get to 3 miles (even if there was walking in btwn).

*7/17/09: I ran 2mi and walked 1.5 miles today. It was rough but I kept pushing through.

*7/19/09: Today's training was really hard...ended up only running 1 and walking 1.

*7/22/09: Rough evening on the treadmill. Calves tightened up very quickly but I fought through the pain and the tears of frustration for a 1.25mi run and 2.75mi walk. Talked myself through it - if I can't run I need to stay and push the miles out while walking....one way or the other, I'm gonna get to the finish line!

*7/23/09: Did some strength crosstraining tonight...a lot of leg work in hopes for longer running!

*7/25/09: Today I decided to walk the miles...all 5 of them! I have been having issues running...and on the eve of my birthday, I wanted a successful training - and I did! Felt great!!!!! On the eve of turning 32 tomorrow, an age my wonderful sister never got to experience, I'm even more determined to raise more money and do this 1/2 marathon to fight this horrible disease!!! Please join me!