Congratulations! You're registered for the Nike Women's Marathon!

Dear Rebecca Ramsey,

Your Registration (confirmation = %ConfirmationCode)

Click here to see your registration confirmation and check your submission.

By registering for the 2011 Nike Women’s Marathon, you let us know you were serious.

You are up to the challenge of running (26.2 or 13.1) miles.

You can’t wait to hit the streets of San Francisco.

You are fiercely motivated by the thought of 20,000 women doing this together.

You want that Tiffany’s finisher’s necklace so bad you can taste it.

Well it’s time to put your legs where your clicking finger was, because the Goddess of Victory has spoken.

You’re IN, baby!

Here’s what that means:

1. Your credit card has been charged for the race fee.

2. You’ll begin receiving emails with more information about the race.

3. You’re about to have the best time ever.

That also means you’re going to want to get to training. Check us out online to keep up with all things NWM and get training advice, event tips, gear updates and more! Join Nike+ to log your miles online and work towards the finish line with other Nike Women’s Marathon runners around the globe.

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NIKE+ INFO

RUN CLUB LOCATIONS

TRAIN IN THE GEAR

THE BIG DAY

Sunday, October 16, 2011

7:00 am Start

Union Square, San Francisco, CA

Check out the COURSE MAP

PACKET PICK-UP

The Expotique at Union Square (Geary & Stockton)

Thursday, October 13

4pm-8pm*

Friday, October 14

10am-8pm*

Saturday, October 15

8am-6pm*

*Times subject to change

You’ll get an email in early October with your registration confirmation bar code. That’s what you’ll bring, along with a photo ID, to pick up your packet at the Expotique. You must pick up your own packet.

Allow for time to park (available at local garages), pick up your race packet and fully experience the Expotique. There will be no packet pick-up on race morning.

So donations are FABULOUS but so are donations in kind! I sent a local business a request for a quote on reminder postcard printing and instead of giving me a quote, they DELIEVERED them finished and ready to be mailed! THANK YOU MIRROR IMAGE SOLUTIONS! If you need any print or copy work done PLEASE call my buddy John at Mirror Image Solutions! (515) 783-8242

WOOT!

A letter from Andy’s mom, Lynn Pickrel, telling me of her son’s courageous battle:

Andrew William Pickrel “Andy” was born June 26, 1990. We wanted to call him Andy in honor of my grandpa, Clarence Anderson (people called him "Andy"), who died of leukemia at age 50. My Andy’s nickname his whole life was Goob!

Andy was diagnosed at 6 months with ALL (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia). I had taken him to the doctor and they put him on antibiotics for a cold. One week later he wasn't better and he had bruising on his head (what I now know as petechia - small red or purple spots on the skin from bleeding underneath). My brother was getting married the next day so I called the doctors office to get him in again so he wouldn't be sick for the wedding. When I took him in they started running tests. This was taking forever and the doctor started talking over my head to a fellow doctor he had called in to look at Andy too so I called Tom (Andy’s dad) and asked him to get to the doctor’s office. I called my family and told them to go ahead to the wedding rehearsal and said we needed to wait for Andy's test results. Meanwhile, an ice storm had set in (it was December 28). The doctors finally said that the test results leaned towards leukemia. At that time you had to go to a major hospital to be diagnosed and treated if you were a child. We lived in Lincoln, Nebraska and needed to get him to Omaha as fast as we could. He needed to be life-flighted but the helicopter couldn't fly because of the ice...they said it was up to us to get him there. The doctors didn't know if Andy would live through the night if we didn't get him there. They called ahead to Omaha and told them we were coming. A trip that usually took an hour took us over three, but by the grace of God we made it and doctors and nurses were waiting to whisk Andy to ICU. Tom and I spent that night praying continuously just for Andy to make it through the night.

Two days later we finally had an exact diagnosis and treatment plan. The treatment was experimental since the type of leukemia Andy had was very treatable IF: 1) you were over 2 and 2) a female. Andy was neither! He barely had any red blood cells left in his body and there were no cases where someone like him had survived!

We began treatment and for the next 12 months Andy was in the hospital more days then he was home. In fact, when he would go home he didn't know where he was. He was in remission after the first two weeks of treatment...this lasted 6 months and a few days after his 1st birthday he relapsed...now we had to get ready for a bone marrow transplant. Our daughter Kyla was a near perfect match so, at 4 years old, Kyla donated bone marrow. But, to have a transplant you have to be in remission so we began another kind of chemo to get him into remission. At 15 months old he was in remission and ready for the transplant. Then more chemo and full body radiation to wipe out all of his bone marrow and of course his whole immune system. After this chemo and radiation was done tests showed that Andy had relapsed again. He was no longer in remission, but had no immune system so we had to choice but to go for the transplant and hope for the best.

Now, mind you, during this time any adult would need physical therapy because they would be so weak. During Andy's whole treatment as a baby there was never a day that he didn't want up to play and move around the room. He was attached to IV poles and learned how to walk. He was happiest with the radio or tape player playing music so he could dance and hum. He couldn't talk after the full body radiation had burned sores all through his mouth and down his esophagus (he eventually started speech therapy when he was 3).

For 30 days after the transplant we waited for Kyla's bone marrow to make it into his bones and start reproducing. Unfortunately, when the bone marrow started reproducing the cancer came back with it and at 17 months old Andy was sent home and given 2 weeks to 2 months to live. We went home and started preparing, but we decided that Andy wasn't going to wait to die....he was going to live during the days he had left! We took him to toy stores and played outside...things he hadn't been able to do because of his immune system. After two weeks he still didn't seem sick! We called the doctor and asked them to check him again. NO SIGN of cancer was the result. This news came just a few weeks before Christmas. The newspapers called it a Christmas miracle and we agreed!

Two months later Andy developed a tumor on one of his testicles. A biopsy revealed leukemia, but it was only in the testicle so he underwent 4 weeks of daily radiation. If he wasn't sterile before this he sure was now.

Now you can see that Andy was a fighter. He had this inner strength that couldn't be explained except to be God-given. He was funny and sweet and everyone loved him. From a early age children especially loved him and were drawn to him. He was always so gentle and loving to kids and to animals. He became a walking encyclopedia about animals. The neighbors that had kids his age always wanted Andy to come play because her kids didn't fight when he was around and even though he was only about 4 years old they would mind him! He became their older brother and really looked up to him.

We had side effects of the treatments to deal with. Andy's thyroid no longer functioned; he didn't grow at all for 1 year. He had trouble with low blood sugar and he didn't/couldn't eat. So he took thyroid medicine, took daily growth hormone shots and had a feeding tube in his nose until he was three. He also had a central line in his chest because we were still going to the oncologist all the time. Remember kids like him don't survive this and he had survived and was thriving!

The growth hormone shots continued until he was 15, then testosterone shots were started to get him to go through puberty. Andy continued to grow up loving life, loving children, he babysat them, loved animals, we always had a dog. He was wise beyond his years. He loved Tom and I, Kyla and he looked up to and idolized his older brother Lee.

When Andy was starting his sophomore year at Valley High school he started having trouble with his joints swelling and trouble walking on his feet. The oncologist ran tests but no sign of cancer...thinking maybe he had rheumatoid arthritis now. But one month and many specialists later the test results showed the cancer was back and back with a vengeance! Science had now brought stem cell transplant to use and so Kyla, now 19, and in her freshman year of college donated stem cells. It was tough getting Andy into remission but he made it. His friends came and helped keep up his spirits at the hospital and at home. We were again trying experimental treatments and they were taking their toll on Andy. You can only have so much chemo in your life time and survive and Andy was reaching the limit and had reached some limits on drugs. His heart was damaged and he was on medicine for that but he kept fighting. The stem cell transplant seemed to work but 3 months after the transplant and days after his 16 birthday we went home on hospice. Andy fought but eventually he couldn't fight anymore. He asked to stop the blood transfusions that he was getting every 2 days...he couldn't make the trip to the clinic anymore. On August 25, 2006, Andy asked me to turn on his TV. He laid down and within 10 minutes was with Jesus!

He told us the day before that he knew he was going to heaven...he was only concerned about how exactly he would get there. When asked if he had anything to tell the rest of us to remember when he was gone he said...BE STRONG & COURAGEOUS!

While Andy was fighting we had orange (color for leukemia) bracelets made that referenced the bible verse Deuteronomy 31:6 and had Andy's initials and the words “Be Strong and Courageous”. It was his motto and he lived it!

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” ~ Deuteronomy 31:6

Top 10 Reasons to donate $10!

10. It's a chance to save a life, it's a chance to make a difference.

9. It's a TAX-DEDUCTIBLE donation!

8. Leukemia is the #1 killer of children.

7. $25 pays for a patient's chemotherapy prescription co-pay.

6. $50 will register one person to become a bone marrow donor.

5. $75 provides bone marrow typing for a potential donor.

4. $100 provides patient travel costs to the cancer center.

3. $500 provides aid to a patient for ONE YEAR.

2. $1000 will help the LLS fund a researcher to find a cure.

1. Today, through the work of LLS and your donations, 712,000 Americans that would have undoubtedly died – are *SURVIVING.*

Remember, your donation is NOT limited to $10. Give what you think you can. I promise you it will change some one's life!

I've created what I personally think is the greatest fundraising idea EVER. I'm sure it's been done before, but not by me! What is it you ask?

The Miracle Mile

Donate $100 (or more!) and you will be a mile sponsor during the marathon! Mile 1 through 3 are already "sold" so pick a mile, donate and it's YOURS! I'll create a ribbon for each mile sponsor to wear on the back of my racing jersey (along with the sweetest picture of Andy Pickrell** - he has my back!). During each mile, I can tell you how AWESOME it will be to know someone signed up to sponsor me during that time!

** I hope to share Andy's story with you here soon.

What's in it for you? Well, let's see:

* Your donation is 100% tax deductible!

* You get to go "with" me on my race!

* YOU WILL HELP FIND A CURE. Finding a cure is crucial and every penny counts!

* After my race, I'll send you your ribbon that I wore during the marathon! Cool, eh?

Have any questions, just let me know!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Peace, love and happy running!

Becki

P.S. Ran 6 miles with the Team on Saturday....first 2 hurt like H#@@, but then I got in a groove. It's coming along!