Our longest training run of the season was this past weekend. Saturday I ran 20 miles! I actually felt pretty good. We now move into our taper period, where we start to wrap up this journey. I can't help but remember Dave's fight and think of all of those folks currently battling cancer. Those journeys are so much longer than 26.2 miles.

One of my city teammates, a survivor, spoke before our run on Saturday and he highlighted something really important. All of us--me, you, the TNT participants, coaches--we are all providing hope. Our efforts are helping develop new treatments and are providing support for those living with a cancer diagnosis. I am so proud to be a part of this and I have you to thank!

3 weeks to go...

Much love,

Moe

Just wanted to check in and let you know how training was going.

In a word....LONG! I feel like I've been training forever and we haven't even gotten to the really long runs yet. This weekend is 16 miles. I think an ice bath might be in my future.

On the plus side, there is only 51 days until race day so that means in less than two months these 26.2 miles will be just a memory.

I also wanted to say a big THANK YOU to everyone who has already donated. Our marathon coordinator told me yesterday that I was "rockin" with fundraising. Of course, I'd love to do more so that we can help patients and their families. So, if you haven't already donated, please consider making a gift to get me to my goal!

More updates to come!

xoxo

Moe

As part of my fundraising success (thanks to you fine people!) the folks at LLS sent me a training jersey. Now, I'm very particular about what I wear during runs. I have specific socks, a certain pair of pants and my sneakers are non-negotiable. So when I received the shirt, it made me happy but I didn't think I'd get much use out of it. I mean--my running shirts have been long established.

Well, this weekend was my first group training run with the IL chapter and it happened to be first the "All Team" of the season. So participants from all over the Chicagoland area came out to run a mock race. We were all encouraged to wear "team purple" so I broke out my training jersey to show my support.

When I saw the sea of purple on Saturday morning it almost brought me to tears. A volunteer spoke about her experience with blood cancers. I stood there listening, shaking my head and felt "YES--she gets it!" Then I looked around and saw others nodding and tearing up. It was clear that you don't need to have this intimate connection to Leukemia or Lymphoma to get the most out of this experience. You just need to know cancer. And unfortunately, too many of us do these days. Seeing that many people unified for a cause was overwhelming...and inspiring. We are all working toward a world without cancer. Down with Lymphoma. Down with Lung Cancer. Down with ALL cancer!

The Team in Training fall marathon training schedule officially started this weekend. Since I won’t be with the Team in Chicago until the move this summer, I’m on my own for a few weeks.

I kicked off training in a big way--by participating in the Broad Street Run, a 10-miler in Philadelphia. The last time I participated in this race it was exactly one year before our wedding. Dave and I made a trip out of it and even asked our best man to be in the bridal party that weekend. So needless to say, this week was filled with emotion.

I was running with Mer and Vic (yay Scoot A Doot!) Having some buddies to share the day definitely made it a little easier to manage and more fun than I expected.

40,000 participants is a lot of runners! As a result, there was an unbelievable line for the porta-potties at the starting line. Mer and I made a quick stop just a few minutes into the race and spent the next few trying to catch up to the pack. Our little potty break made it clear that I wasn’t going to beat my previous time for this run. So we spent lots of time snapping photos and giving high fives to the awesome spectators along the race route.

I finished in just over two hours. Factoring in the bathroom detour, the running backwards for excessive photo taking and lots of other race day revelry—I’m pretty content with my time. I’ll be trying to incorporate some speed work into my routine to help me with the BIG RACE this October, in the hopes of maintaining my pace throughout all 26.2 miles.

Thanks to Mer and Vic for a fun day in the City of Brotherly Love!

In 2011, I ran my first-ever full marathon in Chicago. Dave was with me the whole way--chasing me around town on public transportation (complaining he was tired...) After what I thought was a sub-par finish (hey--I finished!) Dave reminded me that I did something that he (and so many other people in the world) would never consider doing and I should be proud. He also said, that if I ever signed up for another marathon he had done his duty, was off the hook and would not be there with me ;-)

Much to his dismay, when I step up to the starting line for the 2013 Bank of America Chicago Marathon, Dave will again be with me. Not in person, but in my heart.

This year I'm running with Team in Training. I'll be raising funds to help find cures and better treatments for blood cancers. Knowing that I can make a difference in the fight against lymphoma in his memory will help me get across that finish line. You can help get me there! Please make a donation in support of my efforts with Team In Training and help advance the research for cures.

xoxo

Moe