Since I was here last, I ran the (unofficial) Thames Bridge Trek in London. Fourteen miles over 16 bridges along the River Thames in the pouring rain. Awesome. The following weekend I ran the Paris Marathon. On my birthday. In Paris. France. Also Awesome. Then I got pneumonia and have done nothing more strenuous than walk my dogs for the last three weeks. Not Awesome.

In other not awesome news... there is a fairly extensive history of cancer in my family. Breast cancer, lymphoma, brain cancer, colon cancer, pancreatic cancer, ocular melanoma, basal cell carcinoma...

I run with Team in Training (and now also cycle and tri) for my family. To celebrate their lives and support their struggles, to honour their memories and to raise funds in a effort to try in my own small way to help find a cure for cancers of all kinds.

A few weeks ago I learned that it was time to add another family member to the list of loved ones for whom I will continue to train and fund raise. My cousin Liz was just diagnosed with a rare form of uterine cancer, at the age of 25. Very Not Awesome. Read more about that here.

I truly believe that advances made in the field of one type of cancer research and the in development of new cancer treatments benefits people with all types of cancer. With our support, LLS has funded (and continues to fund) research into new treatments that have historically proved beneficial for multiple kinds of cancer.

Why wouldn't I want to be a part of that?!! Why wouldn't you??

If you are able, please make a donation now... so that one day young parents like Liz won't have to fear that their children will grow up without a mother. Together we CAN find a cure.

My personal honoured teammate Jenn started chemotherapy 3 weeks ago, and last week her hair began falling out. Her company hosted a head-shaving party on Friday, turning what could have been a painful experience into a celebration. It was a beautiful sunny day, so chairs were set up outside... clippers were fired up... and hair started flying! 

bald is beautiful

 The lack of hair is surprisingly enjoyable. Can't stop rubbing my own fuzzy head. No bed-head in the morning. No wild hair after my ride with the Team yesterday. Though truth be told, it certainly highlighted the cold temperatures when it started to rain (and then snow!) during our ride. Went to bed in a hat on Friday night!!

Jenn's run/walking the Shamrock half marathon in Virginia Beach this morning... because she's strong and determined, and because lymphoma's not going to stop her from doing the things she loves. Tomorrow morning, she starts her next round of chemotherapy.

If you would like to show your support of Jenn and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society... please make a donation. 

As you can see, we made it to my "$1000 in donations by noon on Leap Day" fundraising goal with time to spare.

To up our game, I have convinced my husband (who HATES the cold), to jump in the lake with me. Current lake temperature is an estimated 38 degrees F (3.5 degrees C)!! He has agreed to do so if we reach $1600 by 16:00   (aka 4pm).

We have some friends who REALLY want to see him go in! And we're almost there....

Thank you to everyone who has been so incredibly generous. We will be posting video and photos here later this evening.

Here is the link to our Leap in the Lake video...

And another...with a  slightly different perspective 

My personal honoured teammate Jenn starts chemotherapy on Monday. Her oncologist assures her she will lose her hair. We'll be having a head-shaving party in solidarity on March 18th. Stay tuned for bald girl photos!

In the meantime, here she is with her glorious mane of red curls... getting ready to tackle the Marine Corps Marathon. Jenn has all the strength, fortitude and determination of any endurance athlete... and she taking that with her into this fight against cancer.

REMINDER: this is a LEAP year!

Just reminding you in case you, like me, had forgotten… this is a year in which we receive an additional day. We can do anything with that day, from extremely ordinary things like calling your grandmother and doing laundry to extraordinary things like composing an opera or learning to surf. It’s a gift, this extra day.

Inspired by that realization, I’d like to take a moment to talk about the leaps of faith that the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) and Team In Training have motivated (and helped) me to take over the last few years.

When I first moved to the US, I didn’t know many people and didn’t have authorization to work here. I found it very difficult to meet people, rapidly becoming lonely and depressed. A friend of mine encouraged me to join Team In Training as a way to meet people and to feel like I was doing something meaningful with my time while I was waiting for my work permit…

• I didn’t know many people in the US that I could ask to donate, and didn’t have an income. I was super stressed out about whether or not I could manage the fundraising commitment, but the LLS staff assured me that they would help me find ways to reach that goal… so I took the leap, and agreed to fundraise to help find a cure for blood cancers.
• I had never run a marathon before, but the TNT coaches assured me that they could get me ready in time… so I took that leap and signed up for my first marathon with the Team.
• In subsequent years I took another leap, becoming a mentor with the team… helping other new participants to reach their fundraising and training goals and finding ways to help connect the team to the mission of LLS.
• Last year I took a HUGE leap out of my comfort zone and learned to swim, completing a triathlon with the support and encouragement of my Team.
• This year I am taking on a new challenge, another leap out of my comfort zone, and am training for a 100 mile bike ride.

Cycle training has begun, and it’s February. As you might imagine, it is not especially warm. With recent snow and ice storms, the roads are not exactly calling my name at the moment… but, it’s time to get moving on the bike and the fundraising. To get moving on the bike, I pretty much just have to dust off my bike, take it out of my living room and go. To get moving on my fundraising, I am proposing another kind of leap.

HERE IS THE DEAL:

As of this moment… I have $372 in my fundraising account. If there is $1000 in my fundraising account at noon on Leap Day (Monday, February 29th) … when I get home after work, I will take a leap into Lake Jackson. My husband has agreed to film my swim so we can post it on Facebook (and here on my fundraising website) for your viewing pleasure. Or you are welcome to come spectate in person.

Might I add that there is still ice on the lake? Current forecast for February 29th is mostly cloudy, with highs of 46°F (7.5°C), lows of 31°F (-0.5°C). Today, February 18, the water temperature is roughly 34.8˚F. Surely some of you would donate a little money to a great cause in exchange for the opportunity to see me take the plunge?

Can we do it? Raise $628 in ten days? I think we can…

Why would I want to do this, you might ask? I’m doing it for my friend Jenn, who’s in the early days of her diagnosis and treatment and is taking it on all like a champ. I’m doing it for my friend Jeff who you may recall underwent a stem cell transplant last year. I’m doing it for my Auntie Christine. I’m doing it for my cousin’s sweetheart. They’re all fighting this disease and need to know that we’re there with them. I’m doing it for hope. And love. And a cancer-free world in the future.

Come on in… take the leap.