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RUNNING WITH TNT...

Thanks for visiting my TNT home page.

If you haven't visited before, I'm training to run the San Diego Marathon (my first!) with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team In Training (TNT). Whether we are running, walking, biking or hiking, all of us with TNT have the same goal - to help stop leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma from taking more lives.

Over 823,000 Americans are fighting Leukemia or another form of blood cancer. 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.

I hope you will visit my web site often. Be sure to check back frequently to see my progress.

Thanks for your support!

Abby

San Diego Rock & Roll

It's been 5 days since the marathon. I am a little late posting this entry...trying to find that perfect photo, but actually I am not sure there is only one that would capture that amazing day. So you will see here Halle and I are crossing the finish line, just over 6 hours, but WE DID IT!!!!!

It was surreal at the start, up at 3 am, on the bus at 4. standing with a crowd of people waiting to start...purple shirts everywhere. it hit me then and all during the run, seeing TNT everywhere how huge this is...the impact we are making. Every coach would yell as we ran by "go Halle" because she had her name on the front of her shirt (smart girl) and every time, she would yell "go abby" so that I stayed motivated too. Every time it made me laugh, kept me going, even when it was hurting (I would be lying if I said it didn't), but it was so worth it, crossing that finish line, doing something I never thought I could do.

I have learned a lot from this experience, made great friends and became a part of an amazing organization that one day, will find a cure for blood cancers. Thank you everyone for your continued support and encouragement, I couldn't have done it without you!

Be the change you want to see in the world.

--Mahatma Gandhi

1 week away

The marathon is less than a week away. Yesterday was our final practice....it is strange to think that all these weeks have gone by. I remember the first run, how hard that 3 miles was! Not knowing anyone, but instantly bonding with Halle, who has been so great all these weeks, a true friend. And my running group, so much fun and all dressed up yesterday, which caused quite the stir on the boardwalk!

Unfortunately yesterday's final 8 miles wasn't as easy as I hoped...what had been runner's knee has now turned to IT band syndrome, which is not fun when I run. The plan is to rest, ice, stretch, massage and hope I am feeling much better come Sunday. I am excited about the race and nervous, but hoping the adrenaline and tylenol can get me through. Plus all the amazing TNT people will be there cheering me on, so I know they will keep me motivated.

For all my friends and family, thank you for all your support!

The only way of finding the limits of the possible is by going beyond them into the impossible.

Arthur C. Clarke

20 miles

The marathon is in less than 3 weeks. Yesterday I ran 20 MILES! We now begin to taper, rest as we get ready for the big day.

It was a challenging run yesterday. I had a tough week....small running accident left me bruised (thankfully that was all!) and I seem to have pulled a hip flexor, so I was hurting. I sadly left my fabulous running group half way in to move down and took it easy for the balance of the run. 6:1 intervals (that's 6 minute running, 1 minute walking) definitely helped after doing 7:1 for the first 10 or so. Amazing what one minute can do! My buddies Halle and Ken joined me...there was comfort in knowing that others felt the increased mileage.

When we were finished we went into the ocean to help our sore muscles, then had treats made by our fabulous mentors! All in all a good day!

My plan is to take it easy this week...the pulled muscle hurts, my knee aches. I want to run, go to yoga, but I risk further injury in pushing myself. But I also feel compelled to keep going, I feel I haven't been training as hard as I should have, but I don't really have time now...I need to rest and recover so I am ready for San Diego.

Endurance is one of the most difficult disciplines, but it is to the one who endures that the final victory comes - buddha

Week 14

Well, it's Thursday and I am getting ready for the big run on Sunday - 20 miles! I am definitely nervous...my body is definitely feeling this and I hope my knee holds out. I had hoped to try aqua jogging last week to give my body a break, but the pool was closed, so I ran. I felt OK, so I am doing my best to push forward, as I know I can do this, despite some minor setbacks. I have to keep the reason I am doing this at the forefront of my mind and focus on that. I feel a renewed sense of purpose after learning about a fellow teammate whose husband has a non-curable form of leukemia, but is kept alive by a drug that was developed with funds raised by Team in Training. To know that what we do WORKS and has tangible results is amazing....

So , check back on Sunday night or Monday (depending how I feel) and you can hear all about my 20 mile run!

Week 13

It's the end of week 13. The last 2 weeks we increased mileage, 17 last week , which was a challenge. Thankfully today was an easy day, at least for running, only 12 miles.

It wasn't a easy day for other reasons....one of my fellow teammates, Laura, who I have mentioned a few times, is sick again. She has a tumor in her bladder, malignant. So I am again reminded of why I am here and I hope as you read this you know that every dollar you give is giving someone a chance for a longer life.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

Week 11

Well, I started week 11 feeling a bit beat up after trying to run uphill for 10 miles (okay, not all of it, but it felt that way at the time). After feeling great after 13, I felt slightly defeated. I then received some sad news...one my father's closest friends had lost her battle with cancer. It was learning this that reminded me why I am here - we don't know how long we are here...do something to make an impact.

And this quote really sums it up:

�SWe say we waste time but that is impossible. We waste ourselves.�

==Alice Bloch

So I will run 15 miles this Sunday, to honor those fighting leukemia and other cancers. Please help my by donating and/or sending my emails to anyone you know. The money goes to helping families, treating patients, finding a cure!

Week 9 update

I just finished 8 weeks of training....12 miles last Sunday! I am still amazed that I ran 12 miles, but this experience has taught me that you can do anything you set your mind to. And I have had my doubts...the week before last we did 7 miles in the mountains and it was incredibly difficult. Talk about being sore in places you didn't know existed! But then I did 12 miles and it was a piece of cake, go figure....

So I am definitely feeling better about my ability to run a marathon.....and a renewed sense of purpose after receiving a recent donation from a family friend. I have never met this person, but she was kind enough to support me and also include a note telling me that her daughter was engaged to a man who died at 25 of non-Hodgkins lymphoma. She ended the note by saying she would like to see a cure for these diseases. I do as well. If you can't donate right now, pass my link on to others. Please don't doubt your ability to make a difference; even the smallest gesture can and will help.

Week 6 update

It was another record week for me - 10 miles!! woohoo!! I never thought I would see the day, but I did it and I have my fabulous coaches and mentors to thank, as they keep me going when I am struggling.

Yesterday was not only a record day for me personally, but also because one of my teammates, Laura, had her birthday. While birthdays are always special, for Laura, a birthday is an especially big deal because it was 6 years ago when doctors told her she might not see another birthday. Laura is one of our amazing honored teammates, running along side us and reminding us ...this is why we are here!

Week 5 update

It's the end of week 5 and we will be running 8 miles tomorrow! Many of you may have read that last week was a record week for me, 7 miles! (I promise I won't email EVERY week saying I reached a personal best.) I was nervous about that run, having never run that much before. And while I know in the back of my head these are small compared to what's up ahead, they are still a challenge right now.

Thankfully, I have an amazing coach, Chris, who really helps motivate us with his positive, "can do" attitude. Last week Chris shared his story with us, his motivation for joining TNT. In an 18 month period, he lost his father to leukemia, his daughter passed away at birth and his wife was diagnosed with cancer while pregnant with their second child. You might ask (as did I) why all of these things happened to one person? Seems unimaginable. But Chris found strength in light of these hardships. He pushed through and the course of events that followed led him to great things.

And so I will end my update with a quote Chris shared, as I think in our current world, it's appropriate....something we should all keep in mind during trying times:

The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value. I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress and grow.

-Thomas Paine