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"I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind. Some come from ahead and some come from behind. But I've bought a big bat. I'm all ready you see. Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!" ~Dr. Seuss

Well, I'm at it again. Except this time, I'm ready for a new challenge. I will be running my first ever full-marathon on April 24, 2010. Now this may seem like any old normal day, but for me it's not. It's my 7 year off-chemo anniversary! I can't think of a better way to celebrate than raising money and running with my best friends!

Unfortunately though, this year, we lost another child to this horrible disease. My friend Tucker, whom I met when I was on chemo and he was on chemo for bone cancer, passed away at the age of 9. Leukemia came into his body even after he had battled another type of cancer. However, it never took away his spirit.

Jim Valvano once said "Cancer can take away all my physical abilities. It cannot touch my mind, it cannot touch my heart and it cannot touch my soul."

For a while, cancer took away my ability to run, but it never defeated my will to continue, and it never defeated Tucker's mind, heart, and soul either.

My job as a survivor is to continue on the spirit of those who have passed. If telling my story and running races is how I can do it, then let's keep running.

I hope you will give to a great cause. Check back for periodic updates as I plan to push my body to places it's never been before.

Mal :)

January 5, 2010 update:

I made it through Christmas and a fought off a case of bronchitis. I'm still coughing, but getting better each day. Training is going extremely well and miles are about to amp up! I can't wait to get into my long runs and go further than I ever have before!

I'm adding a new person to run my race in memory of. His name is William Kirwan and he is the father of one of my co-workers. He passed away on December 30th after a long battle with cancer. He donated to my first run in 2008. Mr. Kirwan fought until the very end and never gave up.