Racing to Save Lives

CREATING HOPE

GIVING SECOND CHANCES

My Second Chance!!

I am training for the Zooma Half Marathon (6 June 2010). I began this adventure last year (trained for The Walt Disney Half Marathon). Just a few months before the race, I fractured my foot and had to postpone my journey. My foot has healed and I am feeling stronger than ever. I am taking advantage of my second chance to complete this journey and raise money for the valuable research that gives cancer patients the second chance they deserve. Won't you join me in this life saving opportunity by contributing today??

*Honoring a Friend*

I will be completing this event in memory of my high school best friend Sara Cooper. Our junior year she was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma. After fighting for a year, she lost her battle. Sara was an inspiring friend who always dreamed of being in the medical field just so she could help others in need. She always held her head high, even in the darkest moments of her life. Sara taught me that there is a big difference in giving in to things beyond your control and giving up because you find it tough. This is a lesson I have really learned to appreciate in the last few months. I know Sara would be proud and would be right there supporting me if she were still here today.

Did You Know?

~~Did you know that some one is diagnosed with a blood cancer every 4 minutes?

~~Did you know that 1 in 3 women and 1 in 2 men will get some form of cancer in their lifetime?

~~Did you know that Acute Lymphocytic Luekemia is the #1 fatal disease for children?

The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society is a voluntary heath organization that has been hard at work for 61 years to change those statistics. LLS is made possible thanks to everyday people like you and me. Several breakthroughs have been made to triple the 5-year survival rate in the past 46 years.

Remember: Your particiapation with LLS and Team In Training is giving hope and second chances to those who need it most - you are part of a cure!!!

Please make a donation to support my participation in Team In Training and help advance LLS's mission. All donations are 100% tax deductible.

I hope you will visit my web site often.

**Be sure to check back frequently to see my progress. Thanks for your support!

The First Four Weeks

The first four weeks of my training have come and gone. I can't believe how quick the time has passed. My running has gotten stronger every day. The physical therapy has definitely helped! The weather is warming up and the outdoor runs are fantastic. I am getting alot of support from the family I have found with Team In Training and with my friends and family at home. I am very excited about this journey and where it will lead me!!!

Week Five

It was a good week. I am still getting used to the time change but it's not affecting my runs :-) I did get a hard lesson in how to fuel my body this week. I also had to learn how to split a run during the day. That was weird but it felt good knowing I got all the miles in. I stepped up to a 6 mile Saturday run this week and it went really well. I am feeling great and looking forward to my cross training swim today. I can't believe we are finishing week five already.

Week Six

This week was a little rough. Between school, work, and a conditioner bottle landing on my foot, running was not as great as usual. However, I got my long run in and felt fine. Those Saturday morning runs with the rest of the team always seem so much better. The atmosphere is great!! Swimming was great today too. Almost at the halfway point in time frame and mileage. I'm really excited to see what the next few weeks hold. Oh, and I've managed to lose 5 pounds :-). I am really feeling good about all of this!!!!

Weeks 7-10

My My...where does the time go? Can't believe I haven't updated you all for a month. The running has been great. I have now done a 10 mile run. I did have to take a week off to let my foot rest some but I am confident that it will not set me back too far. I still have my 10k Timed run and a few more long runs to go. Only 5 weeks left!!! 2 Weeks left to contribute (They are due by 21 May 2010)! Thanks for the support to everybody!!! And that is thanks for the emotional, financial, and moral support! You have all helped in so many ways. :-D

Week Eleven

Amazing week! I completed my timed 10k run in 1 hour and 20 minutes! I'm really happy with that. I did the math and that averages out to a 13 minute mile. That's so much better than the 15 minute miles I was running back on week 1. I also had a cookout for a fundraiser and it was very successful. I'm lucky to have so many supportive people. Only 25 Days left. Thanks to everybody who has been there for me. If you still want to contribute the donations must be in by 21 May 2010. That means there's still time!!! Again, thanks everybody!!!!!!!

Weeks 12&13

Wow!! 13 weeks to prepare for a 13.1 mile race! I can't believe race day is only THREE DAYS AWAY. I am confident that I can get those miles in. I am really anxious and nervous but super super super excited. :-) :-) I could not have asked for a better experience throughout all of this. Thanks to all who have supported me and remember, there's still time to make that last minute contribution!!! ;-) Again, I want to thank each person who has helped me in some way on this journey! Be sure to check back here to see how the race went. :-)

MY RACE!!!!!

My race has come and gone. Icompleted the Zooma Annapolis Half Marathon on 6 June 2010. It was an experience that I will remember forever!! It was definitely the toughest thing I have ever done but I finished and that's all that matters. It was hot and muggy. I ran miles 1-6, did a run/walk for miles 6-8 and then walked the last 5.1 miles to have a completion time of 3 hours and 36 minutes.

I met some wonderful people and made some life-long friends. Had some awesome coaches and mentors and want to thank all of them for their help! To everybody who supported me: THANK YOU from the bottome of my heart. Thanks to all of you, I am a part of a cure for blood cancers. Knowing this fact makes every ounce of pain I experienced so worth it. We are going to give somebody that well deserved second chance.