Racing to Save Lives

Welcome to my Team In Training home page.

As many of you know I have been running for a long time. But, what most of you don't know is that I recently signed up to run the Chicago Marathon for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Truly I never thought that I would run a marathon; I have finished three half marathons and thought that was plenty of running for me.

But last winter our friend's then 16 month old son was diagnosed with Leukemia (AML). Matthew's first round of treatment went well and everyone was cautiously optomistic. However, very recently they found out that the Leukemia is back, and he will require more chemotherapy, radiation, and a bone marrow transplant. He is facing a very uphill battle. Both of Matthew's parents, Gene and Nicole are runners. Gene has run several marathons, including Chicago.

In addition, my Uncle Joe, my dad's older brother, was diagnosed this spring with non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. My uncle began running marathons after he retired and has finished several of the Marine Corps Marathons.

So it seems only fitting that while these runners who have been inspirations to me, having motivated me to keep running, cannot run in this year's marathons, that I run in their place to raise money to fight a battle that was chosen for them.

Therefore, I decided to participate in the Chicago Marathon 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 Matthew and my uncle, as well as all individuals who are battling blood cancers. 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.

I hope you will visit my web site often. Be sure to check back frequently to see my progress. Thanks for your support!