Ooof! Wow, it's been a while since I posted. And so much has happened! This team is moving fast and furious and having a blast,all while raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society! Team in Training's summer SFV team is all kinds of awesome!

So I have been so caught up in the fun we've been having, here's a quick recap:

Race #1 and a practice in one? Okie Dokie! We all headed to Agoura Hills for the Great Race of Agoura Hills 10K race three weeks ago, giving us all a chance to experience a race prior to the ones we are training for! I have participated in several races, but never as part of a team, what a great support, and this was just a 10K! Oh, and there is a reason Agoura has "hills" in it's name! Wowie! A great challenge for those of us used to flat trail, and a fun time being cheered on by the crowds and teammates!

Now, I may get some flak for this, but I haven't been to Griffith Park since I was 3....or when I went to the zoo as a kid. I know! It is so close, and so available! Ok, so now I know and will be a frequent visitor! Well, the all team workout got me there, and what a cool event! 10 miles up and a round a hill and on some great trail, all the while chatting up and meeting the greater LA teammates! There are some really great people on this team. I am so proud to be a part of such a great group!

For the last two weeks we have been back at our regular stopping(literally) ground in Balboa Park. For most of us we never thought we'd see the day we would run double digit milage, let alone at 7 am on a Saturday morning. The people in this group make all of this work worthwhile, and the fact that we are raising money for LLS while getting to do this fun bonding is incredible.

I will cross the"most milage I've done in one run" threshold next week at 16 miles. This is something I have always known I could do, but never would have without suport.I've over come some stuff in my past, and at times would never have dreamed this would come so soon, yet here I am! I am glad I can share this experience with these people, and with you! Your support in this challenge is so appreciated. Every little bit helps! Thank you!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day all!

So the weather report last night seemed a little intimidating, but when the alarm went off this morning, I looked outside and braced for the wet world I was gonna conquer today!

As my teammate Allan and I entered Balboa park this morning, the normal masses running the trails, feeding ducks and walking with strollers were nowhere to be found! In fact it took some squinting and searching to find our coaches and mentors who had hunkered into a picinic enclosure for the welcome and announcements! We were not alone for long, and this is a testament to how amazing the SFV Team in Training summer team is, on a morning where most people would rather snuggle in bed and miss just one workout, our team came out almost in full! Even those not running today due to injury, illness, and races coming up were there to cheer on those who showed up! We are the definition of ROCK STARS!

And we were off and running before you knew it! Okay, so I am purposely being as positive as possible here, but I will admit, getting started sucks! And that first half mile to mile was hard, the rain was driving, we were trying to avoid puddles and getting rain straight in the eye. But after that first big puddle that soaked us, and laughing at ourselves for trying to avoid the inevitable sopping messes we were becoming, it was actually fun! Soon my pace group was splashing through puddles to see who could make the biggest woosh! The hood came off and I was enjoying the fresh face cleaning nature provided, the miles passed by and before we knew it we were back at the home base, headed to the lake for our two beautiful laps! On a day like today there was no traffic to block our view of the lake and water fall and ducks! We had the park to ourselves and we owned it! After finishing my pace partner and I decided sitting still was boring so we joined another teammate who was just passing her 5 mile mark and finish her 2 miles she had left with her. I love the enthusiasim and the family we have going, and I can go blue in the face saying how lucky I am to have met this amazing group of people and the work they do for this organization!

Soaked and laughing is how we finished the day! The feeling of accomplishment is fantastic and it is just the beginning. No complaining is ever heard in this group, the attitude is always positive, this is just running, what those fighting blood cancers are the real heros, and for them we can push through a little rain!

Saturday February 11, 2012

Today was the first of many early Saturday morning workouts to come with my team, SFV Summer Team in Training team! Meeting at Balboa park, well before our coffee had kicked in and the sun barely cresting the horizon, our staff and mentors met us with enthusiastic smiles and energy! After a few intros and mingling with fellow teammates, Lauren took the reigns as our campaign manager and rousted us together welcoming us, and shared a touching moment reminding us why we are doing what we do. This very morning, actually 4 hours before we met, a teammates husband had lost his battle with blood cancer. What we are doing is so small compared to the fight he had to endure, our run today was immediatly so much more. After some advice and housekeeping from the coach we were off! A quick three miler to get our pace groups assigned and what a fun group! The energy and the support throughout the run was great! I met a few new people in my pace group, talked a little, learned to do intervals(though I don't like it! But I will get used to it!) and before we knew it, we were done! I know, right! I came across first with two others, and got the chance to cheer the rest of my team coming in! It is an honor to run with all these giving people, and the thanks, the support, the encouragement they offer( and recieve) is beyond words! We wrapped the day with a pot luck breakfast and a fundraising brainstorming game. This is an incredible group of athletes, and such a unique mix of people, I can't wait to run and grow with them!

Teams are made up of individuals. Without them, there is no team.

Welcome to my Team In Training home page.

I have a mission-to help find cures and more effective treatments for blood cancers. To accomplish that mission, I’m participating in a sports endurance event 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’m improving the quality of my life by participating and with your support, I can help improve the quality of life for patients and their families as well.

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