80% of success is showing up -Woody Allen

A month ago I reached out to you to help me raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society--I'm currently training for the Nike Women's Half Marathon with Team in Training (to take place in October). The response has been wonderful and you've helped me achieve 92% of my goal--I'm $1,648.10 towards my goal of $1800! Thank you all!

The training has been really fun and challenging. I've been doing my long runs on Saturdays--I currently do about 4-5 miles at a time, which is great progress from having been on the couch 2 months ago (never been a runner before)! The rest of the week I go to buddy runs on Tuesdays, track practice on Thursdays and I do cross training (yoga, spinning, weights) the rest of the time. Before every group run or practice we pause to recognize our honorees--members of the team who are in remission from blood cancer. When I (or my knees) feel frustrated, our honorees' experiences help me keep these tiny bumps in the road in perspective. I'm also humbled to run with teammates who are running in honor of loved-ones who've recently passed away. One of our superstar team members started to run to help grieve the loss of his sister to AML (she passed away this year). We carry each other through a process that has different meanings for every one of us. I always thought running was a very individualistic enterprise, but I've learned that with Team in Training it doesn't have to be. So I continue to show up and do the damn thing.

Hi everyone,

This summer I am challenging myself to do something I have never done before--willingly run for a reason!

I am currently training to run the Nike Women's Half Marathon in San Francisco in October 2013 as a member of The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Team In Training. Like the other members of TNT, I will be raising funds to help find cures and better treatments for leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma. I am running in honor and memory of my grandfather, Sam Greenfield, who suffered from lymphoma.

For a few years now, I have sung with the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir cheering on Nike Marathon participants as they ran by. It's incredible to watch 20,000 runners, joggers, walkers, and strollers pass us at the 1 mile mark. Now I'm craving a new challenge, wanting to be a part of something bigger than myself, so I've decided to join the throng. Team in Training is helping me meet this personal challenge and supporting a good cause along the way.

Please make a donation in support of my efforts with Team In Training to help advance the research for cures and support patients and their families.

Thank you!

Dana