Okay, maybe after running a marathon is not the best photo moment!

I Did It!!!

Welcome to my Team In Training home page.

I am proud to say that on June 27th, 2009, I ran the Inaugural Rock 'N Roll Marathon in Seattle!!! ...and lived to tell about it!! Twenty Six Point Two Miles - something it never even occurred to me to want to do before this year. You all got me there and encouraged me to stick with it. Thank you!!!

To date, with all of your help I've raised $4,341.00. Thank you so much to everyone who has donated. I've surpassed the minimum for my event and am only $159 from reaching my goal of raising $4,500.00. We're so close!! It is a really tough time out there and my heart is full knowing that you have all given so generously in such a horrible economy. If you haven't given yet and you can, then please donate now! It is not too late. You truly can make a difference in people's lives.

I trained to participate in the Seattle Rock N' Roll Marathon as a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team In Training. All of us on Team In Training are raising funds to help stop leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma from taking more lives. I completed this event in honor of all individuals who are battling blood cancers. These people are the real heroes on our team, and we need your support to cross the ultimate finish line - a cure!

In particular, I am racing in memory of my dear friend, Lara. Just before I signed up with Team In Training back in January, Lara died at the age of 41. She was one of my closest friends. We traveled the world together, grew up together. I thought we would have so much more time to share. Now that she is gone, I feel more than ever the need to make a difference. To help people, and hopefully, to keep someone else from losing a loved one. Every dollar we raise during this season is going to help someone have a better chance to survive the diagnosis of blood cancer. By making a contribution, you can be a part of helping people like our honored teammate, Stevie, to survive. Stevie is a beautiful three year old boy who was diagnosed at two with leukemia. He is currently on routine chemotherapy and doing well.

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.

JUNE 21ST: Our last team run before the marathon! A short and sweet 8 miles. Thanks to Gretchen for being a great running partner!

JUNE 14TH: Another 12 miles. No problem!

JUNE 7TH: We've started our taper down to race day. "Only" twelve miles today. It was a great run - and so short!! (Wow, did I really just say that twelve miles was short?)

MAY 31ST: TWENTY MILES TODAY! This was my longest distance and our last big distance before the race. I can't believe I did it. The first week of training I had to walk half of the 3 mile run, now I feel like I can just keep running. I did have a problem with my left shoe - the tongue was cutting into my foot. After the run, a nice bruise and swelling developed on the front of my ankle (battle scars!) If it weren't for the shoe problem, the run would have been perfect. Thank you to my awesome mentors and coaches for getting me through it!

MAY 17TH: I ran my farthest so far today: OVER EIGHTEEN MILES. Seriously! I cannot tell you how great that feels. I will now lay in a bathtub full of ice cubes and try to recover!

APRIL 26TH: I ran 17 miles! My personal best. That was two days ago, and I think I can walk again!

APRIL 19TH: Today I ran 15 miles. Let me say that again...FIFTEEN MILES!!! YEAH! Okay, at about 11 miles I was pretty sure I couldn't do it. That's when my coach forced me to eat "gel" food. Another new running experience...not so tasty, but I did feel better and finished the run.

APRIL 5TH: Thirteen miles today. I still can't believe that's possible.