WOO HOO!!!

Yes, it was a beautiful day in Chicago from start to finish, 5 and 1/2 hours later. I cannot begin to thank you all enough for your spiritual and emotional support and, of course, for those who were able, financial support to help cure blood and other cancers.

We arose around 4 am and headed out to the start at 5, well before dawn. As the thousands poured in (12,000 volunteers! and about 45,000 runners), excitement began to build. The start was at 7:30 and my brother and I finally crossed the starting line at 7:52. It was a big crowd!

And the crowds on the course were just magnificent, cheering, waving, encouraging all the way. In total there were about 1.7 million people involved with this event and every one was smiling - at least most of the way.

It did warm up late in the morning and got to 85 degrees by the time we made 24 miles. Everyone still on the course was slowing down by then and savoring the experience. The winner, however, finished in 2 hours and 5 minutes! But he wasn't raising money for charity and helping to fight cancer like you and I were.

Although it was my 7th full marathon and the slowest, it was truly the most satisfying because, all along, I was remembering the reason. THANK YOU!!!!!!!

So here we are just 4 days away. Fortunately the weather gods are smiling, sort of. It will be a beautiful day for spectators although a bit warm for runners. At least no rain or snow are in the forecast!

I feel a bit undertrained as I took 2 weeks to go diving in the Maldives - a trip I thought couldn't happen when I received my diagnosis. Fortunately my chemotherapy is stabilzing the platelet count and, for now, I can still dive. It's been a passion for nearly 15 years so much so that I became an instructor.

Now I am ready to run this last, long 26.2 miles and trust that I will still be upright and mobile at the finish. As our Team in Training coach puts it, Remember the Reason we are doing this. We all want a cure for cancers of all types.

Please put this information on your Facebook page, if you have one. I tried to set it up but am technologically challenged there.

Most of all, I thank each and every one who has supported me emotionally, physically, and the LLS financially. I will report again next week on the results.....

We have now completed about half our training. Last Saturday was an 18 mile run. At least it wasn't too hot or humid for a change! Still it was 18 miles with more to go over the next several weeks

On Sept . 2 I am taking a break from running to go on a long planned dive trip to the Maldives Islands. I wasn't sure it would be possible with my condition but my last checkup showed stable blood cell components and the chemo dosage is quite manageable. So the doctor gave the okay!

I planned to do the marathon thinking that diving would be out of the question. I am so fortunate to be able to do both, unlike so many other blood cancer patients.

So back to training and on to a cure with your support!

Because I haven't really written about my training for this venture, I thought it time to do so.

This will be my 7th marathon, 8th attempt. In April 2011, I was planning to run my final marathon as I had just turned 65. As luck and weather would have it, at 7am it was 70 degrees and just got warmer very quickly. So my younger brother running companion in his first marathon and I were forced to run the half marathon distance, 13.1 miles. Of course, the challenge was on!

So we are running this one in October. He is fund raising for the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, another group fighting another blood cancer.

We train in Salem IL, his home, and Cincinnati OH, my home. We did meet in July at a family reunion and had a very hot 9 mile training run together, checking that we were on the same training regimen and encouraging each other. Both of us have since then followed a rigorous program steadily increasing our mileage and stamina with periodic 'down weeks' to allow the body to recover and strengthen.

The heat and humidity thus far this summer has been difficult for us both as we are on the far side of 50 - he is 57 and, well, you know my age! But the cause is worth it and we thank you for your great support!

Racing to Save Lives

Welcome to my Team In Training home page.

I'm training to participate in an endurance event, a full 26.2 mile 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 (and my condition, essential thrombocythemia) from taking more lives. I am completing this event in honor of 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. If supporting with a check, please make out to "Leukemia and Lymphoma Society" with my name in the memo line. Send to me at my home address and I will forward with the form needed to credit my goal.

I hope you will visit my web site often. Be sure to check back frequently to see my progress. My progress has been from you! With the great response in just 4 days, I increased my goal from $1500 to $2500. We can do it together!

Thanks for your support!