I want to thank everyone again for the wonderful support and the numerous donations. I know it has been a week since my race, but I wanted to let you know what a wonderful experience I had with Team in Training and all of you.

I was successful on the 18th! I finished all 13.1 miles in 3 hours and 33 minutes. The scenery was beautiful, the trail was fairly easy (except for the dirt path that had large rocks and tree roots), and the company was awesome. I finished 1583 out of 2900 half marathoners. There were roughly a total of 4900runners and walkers, full and half, that participated.

I had been training pretty much on my own each week (I still had Doug, my running coach), so when I met up with another gal from Michigan, we pretty much did the whole course together. It was nice having someone to talk to during those last difficult miles.

I really met some wonderful people and had the time of my life. If you have the opportunity or desire, look up Team in Training and sign up for one of their activities. I guarantee you will be in for a real treat!

Will I continue to run? You bet! I am looking for another half marathon this fall. Who knows? Maybe a full marathon next year. Stay tuned! lol.

For those of you who live in western Michigan, you know how hot and humid it was on Saturday.

At 7:30 am it was already 78 degrees and high humidity. It only got progressively warmer with the full sunshine. By the time I finished my 12 miles at 10:25 am it was 84 degrees and miserable. Thank heavens Alaska is cooler.

It's only 9 more days until I leave. I have 4 miles ( I mapped out 4.75) tomorrow to run, 3 on Wednesday, 2 miles on Thursday and 6 on Saturday. When you consider all the miles that I have run over the past 5 months, impressed should be the word that comes to mind. I have never been a runner. I wanted to try something that I have never done before. It has been a wonderfully uplifting experience.

If you have never had the opportunity to run for a cause, I highly recommend it!

Thank you again for all of your financial and emotional support as I complete this journey.

What will be next on my list? Not sure. But it will be something I have never done before.

Until then...have a wonderful and blessed day!

My dear friends and family,

It is with a full heart that I send to you my deepest and warmest thank you. You can not believe the awe I felt when I checked in on my fundraising page this morning and saw that not only did you meet the goal but exceeded it. I can not take credit for meeting my goal, it was your generous hearts that helped me raise the funds. And just think, there is still $350 that has been sent in and not yet credited to my goal.

To those of you that wished to remain anonymous, a big hug and thank you to you since I can't send you a thank you note personally.

I am truly blessed to have such wonderful family, friends, co-workers and neighbors. I can't help but get emotional when I think of your wonderful support and encouragement.

Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I completed 20 miles over the three day weekend. I have a blister to show for it. Today is the last day help me reach my goal. Will you help?

Closer to my fundraising goal and closer to my race date. It has been a good weekend. How can we complain? It is a three day weekend that gives us the opportunity to remember those that we have lost. Regardless if we lost them to war, old age or sickness, they are still important to us and our heritage. Would we be the person we are today if we didn't have those loved ones in our lives? NO!

This weekend, my mom, Aunt Linda, Uncle Tom and Aunt Karen drive for hours to go down to family cemeteries and clean up the grave sites, plant flowers and pay tribute to those that have gone before us. Who do you remember at this time of year?

Right now, I am thinking of all the stories and memories that have been shared by those who lost a loved one to cancer, Leukemia or Lymphoma. Their battle may not have been of a strategic military nature but they have fought a battle just the same.

I have two more days to raise the rest of the contributions to reach my goal. If you have ever lost a loved one to illness or disease, I am asking that you help us raise funds to cure Leukemia and Lymphoma. One of your family members may be stricken with this in the future and it would be very moving to know that you had a hand in finding a cure. Does this sound like a plea? It is.

I lost my young cousin five months ago to Leukemia. I am running in her memory and will have her picture pinned to my shirt so that others know that I too have been touched by this disease.

I ran 8 miles in the rain yesterday, two in the humidity this morning and plan on 10 more tomorrow so that I can cross that finish line in 3 weeks knowing that I have made a difference. Not only in my life, but of those around me.

Thank you to all those that have donated and for those that haven't yet, why are you waiting? Click on the donation button to the right and help make a difference. Every dollar helps.