WE DID IT!

Welcome to my Team In Training home page.

I trained to participate in a triathlon as a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team In Training. On October 12th I ran the Arrowhead Day at the Beach triathlon in Hermosa Beach! I swam, biked, ran and, most importantly, raised money! Check out my thermometer! Over $3000 and still going!

THANK YOU SO MUCH TO EVERYONE WHO SUPPORTED ME AND THIS GREAT CAUSE!

All of us on the Team In Training team are raising funds to help stop leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma from taking more lives. And we're not stopping!

I do truly believe that cancer can be beat. There are many medicines used today to save lives. The only problem is, even though these medicines save many people, many still die. I am lucky to have several cancer survivors in my family, a mother, a sister, an aunt, but I also know a girl, Susan, who was just diagnosed with cancer. She’s starting chemotherapy and it’s just one of those things, the cure is almost more difficult then the illness. I want chemo to save her, but what I want more is for there to be better options. I think by funding research, we can find them.

So, here's where you come in. My new goal is to rais $3500 by November 1. In return for my physical support in the program, I am asking for your generous financial support. Donations are 100% tax-deductible and 75% of my pledged $3500 goes directly to the cause. I am asking you to dig as deep as you can, but remember, every penny counts.

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 to watch my funds climb! I have all my training mile stones in my Training Diary below.

Thanks for your support!

TRAINING DIARY:

10/12 The big day! I did it! I finished the race in an hour and a half and I had a fantastic time. The water was brutally cold (thank goodness for the wetsuit!) and there were some hairy moments on the bike ride passing people on tight corners (yes, I passed people!) but by the time I had my running shoes on I knew it was coming to a close and I did a great job. I was so proud of me!

I was even more proud of you, though. Everyone who dug into their pockets during a trying economic time to help me raise over $3000; thank you so much. I was constantly humbled by people's generosity.

The team is still fundraising. My account will stay open for another month to catch those people who meant to donate, but had the date sneak up on them. I think I can break $3500. What do you think?

I can't believe the race is over. I can't wait until next year!

9/27 I've been doing the bike ride followed immediately by a run thing for a while, but together with my fellow TNTers, today we did that AND threw in a swim... a thiathlon was born! Aw, it's so cute!

Something about doing all three athletic activities in one day makes your muscles confused. after swimming my arms wern't sure how to hold onto the handle bars of my bike, and after the bike my legs wern't really sure how to run. I felt clumsy! Not something I'm used to :-)

I'm going to be doing it again next weekend, this time in "real race conditions!" Wish me luck! Just two weeks till the real thing!

9/24 Hi everyone! I am in the middle of what's called a "build week" where you build up your endurance. Thank goodness my cold is gone. I had to swim 2000 meters on Monday, run 5 miles on Tuesday, and, because I'm Carolyn, I threw in some yoga, then I swim again today, bike 18 miles tomorrow... Ugh. My legs hurt!

In other news, I am now the proud owner of some triathlon shorts! Oh, spandex. So very good at pointing out the flaws. I am also the proud owner of an official swimming wetsuit! Its soooo very tight! I was putting it on this weekend to swim and about half way through getting one leg in I fell over like a total dork. So many new experiences!

9/17 Not to be a baby, but I have had a SERIOUS COLD for the last week. I wasn't able to bring myself to run with such a stuffy head, so I'm just a bit behind on my training. I made it to the pool today and got in a good swim, which felt great. I think by tomorrow I will be all better. Fingers crossed!

9/9 What do you mean it's 6:00am and I have to go for a 3-mile run? Bla! Okay, I'll do it.

9/4-9/5 Two days, two big swims in the ocean! I spent the weekend in San Diego and took advantage of my proximaty to the water. "But Carolyn," you're saying, "didn't a guy get eaten by a shark, like, right there? Like, just a few months ago?" Yes! And I got in the water anyway! (For more on sharks, see my first diary entry.)

I also rode my bike up some serious hills for, hold on to your seats, 12 whole minutes! I know that doesn't seem like a long time, but when you're peddling like a mad woman and going nowhere it seems like forever.

8/31 Back to the beach! I did another ocean swim and this time I practiced running into and out of the water, which is harder than it looks! Plus it was windy and choppy. I felt like I was swimming in a washing machine. I am still getting my timing down for ducking under the waves. If you're a little too slow you get tumbled around. I'm sure for Californians this is second nature, but I'm from Ohio! There are no waves in Ohio (and no the Geauga Lake wave pool doesn't count!).

8/30 I met my training group for another bike ride today and it was the first time we tackled a hill. It was steep. And long. I was chugging away, downshifting like mad (thank goodness for 30 gears!) and when I got to the lowest gear my feet were peddling a mile a minute and I was moving slower then walking pace. It was crazy! I am proud to say I made it to the top, and the ride back down was worth all the work it took to get there!

8/16 Today I did a 16 mile bike ride with my fellow TNTers. We rode along a bike trail that runs between the Los Angeles River and the I-5 freeway: smog on one side, scum on the other! (Actually, the river is quite pretty despite the concrete walls containing it). It felt great!

8/10 Another Sunday, another ocean swim! I swam around the Manhattan Beach pier this time. Go Carolyn!!!

In bad, sad, ironic, news a friend of a friend, Susan, was just diagnosed with cancer. They think it's leukemia and it's pretty advanced. She went to the doctor thinking she had allergies and instead she's facing a really big fight; a fight for her life. These things come out of nowhere, guys. We need to find better medicines, and the only way to do that is by funding research. That's why I'm doing this.

8/9 Today was my first team run! We only went 2.25 miles, but... wait, 2.25 miles is pretty far! Since when is 2.25 miles ONLY 2.25 miles?! Since I started this, I guess!

I have stalled on my fundraising. Hey you, reading this, SEND ME MONEY! It's for a great cause!

7/30 Last night I went to a TNT happy hour to meet my Hermosa Beach team members. Everyone was so nice! I felt like I was WAY ahead of the game since I have been fundraising and training for weeks now and they are all just getting started. This is going to be fun! As far as training, I have stepped up my running speed. I am trotting along at 6mph now and only kind of feel like I'm going to die. That's progress!

And speaking of progress, although my little thermometer doesn't show it, I've raised $470 already thanks to those who donated on my old Malibu page. It all counts toward my goal. THANKS!

7/12 I DID IT! I swam in the ocean and, much to my suprise, I wasn't eaten by a shark! Those who know me well know that I have a healthy fear of the ocean. It has something to do with multiple jellyfish stings and shark week on TLC. This weekend I decided I had to conquer my fear so into the water I went. I swam out to the Manhattan Beach bouys, which are out past the end of the pier. I got about half way out and completely paniced. Luckily, my boyfriend was right beside me. He told me he was proud, he was right there and I could do it. Well, I did it. Out to the bouys and back!