Mission accomplished! Thank you to all who helped me reach this amazing goal. Together we have saved lives. Sorry for the sideways photo, but I guess it reflects my race experience - it was not at all what I expected. Though I felt well prepared, I just had a tough day on the course. With my time goal fading away in the middle of the race, and my body starting to shut down, I had to rely on years of marathon experience to make it to the finish line. But, I had a secret weapon out there - Team in Training. Every "go team" and shout of encouragement from TNT people I didn't even know gave me that extra push I needed. I had plenty of time to reflect on 20 years of marathoning and what it has meant. This race was special, though, as I was doing it for so many others. The names pinned to my back, the generous donations from so many, the support of my teammates and TNT staff, and the cause that afflicts too many gave me the will to keep moving forward. In the end it's not about the time, it's about the journey and what you make of it. I want to thank everyone for making this journey so special. Go Team!

A brief story about the fantastic people who are part of Team in Training. We did 8 miles in the hills above the Rose Bowl this Saturday (pic below), in 40 degree weather and a steady rain on the way back. I managed to lock my car key in the trunk before the run. After cheering in teammates while they finished, while huddled under an overhang, two TNT angels helped save the day....

Charlene Levy! Thank you for letting me warm up in your car, while you called AAA. The PB and banana sandwich was terrific while we waited for the truck to arrive. Huddling under your umbrella while the AAA guy worked on opening the car, I had hope he would succeed.

After 20 minutes, he finally gave up, apologized, and drove away. Things were looking bleak, when angel #2 showed up with the last group leaving practice.

Mario! From the SGV team, now I know why they call you Super Mario. He volunteered to drive me all the way home (30+ miles) to get my spare key, and drive me back. I would like to think there are many in the world who would do the same, but I know for certain they exist in Team in Training.

So, there are angels on this Earth, including all of you who have donated to help us beat cancer. Thank you and Happy New Year!

The holidays come up fast - just like our training ;-). Now's a great time to get in that last minute tax deduction by making a donation!

Assuming the world doesn't end on Friday, we're doing 6 miles this Sunday. Last week was cold (by LA standards) but we braved it for 5 miles. Oddly enough we did 7.5 miles 2 weeks ago (see photo below), but that was the "fast" group.

After reading about a girl who was given just a few months to live, but received an experimental treatment funded by LLS, and is now cancer free a year later, I'm really encouraged by the progress being made. Every dollar matters.

Go Team!!!

Here we are at week 4 in training, and the holidays are fast approaching. I'm hoping your donations, and my teammates, help keep me motivated to train through all the distractions. I've met many terrific people on my team, most of them first-time marathoners. It's been fun getting to know them, and sharing some experience and perspective, without having to wear the coaching mantle. We've also heard some heart-felt stories from some honored teammates. It's hard not to think about my situation, just a little over 7 years ago, when I listen to them. I think I'll be called upon to speak about my experience to the group in a few weeks. Thank you again for your generous donations, and please help spread the word!

Here's a photo from a few weeks ago of the front pace-group.

Thank you to all the early donors! I set a goal of $100 per mile, but I hope with some hard work and your generousity to go well past it. Every dollar is so important, and we're making great strides, but each day that goes by adds too many to the list of those newly diagnosed, and those who have passed.

Another way you can help is to spread the word to your social circles and point them to this page. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!