TNT New Mexico/El Paso Chapter Team
Inaugural Tinkerbell Half Marathon 2012
13.1 miles and still smiling!
I DID IT!! This past Sunday (1/29/12), I completed my first half marathon (inaugural Tinkerbell Half Marathon) with Team in Training. Thanks to all those who donated, participated in fundraising events and who cheered me on in person and in the virtual world that is our lives today. This was quite the experience and I don't mean only the running part. The support provided by the TNT coaches and staff from all over the country before and during the race was outstanding! The night before the race there is an Inspiration Dinner where we heard about the great work that the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) and Team in Training (TNT) does. For this particular race there were 359 TNT participants who, together, raised $1 million dollars for the fight against leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma and myelodysplastic disorders!!! We heard from Mrs. California International whose platform is supporting the fight against leukemia & lymphoma...she shared stories of her father and brother who were both diagnosed and her brother currently is in treatment. A slide show was presented reminding us of all those that have lost the battle, who are still battling and those currently healthy and strong after treatment. And OH MY!! The welcome that the coaches, mentors and staff members gave us as we arrived at the dinner...can you say outrageous?!? lol! Cow bells, noisemakers, yelling, chanting, high fives and more!! How exciting (and a little intimidating) all at once!!
On race day you could see purple TNT jerseys/singlets everywhere! Whenever someone passed me/I passed them and had a TNT shirt on...no matter which chapter...I yelled "GO TEAM!" Others did the same if they heard me and others, usually with earbuds in, not so much. But that's okay!! We were on the same team no matter what! One the sidelines throughout the race you'd catch the coaches in green TNT shirts. They'd run up to you..."Hi Beth! How're you doing? Do you need anything? Everything OK?" I was having the time of my life and told them all was fine, gave a few high fives and continued on my way. One of the most inspirational team members that I saw was a young lady who must have had a broken foot or ankle RUNNING in a walking boot...you know, those heavy clunky surgical boots that you are supposed to wear when the doctors don't want you to have much movement. She passed my running partner and I!! LOL! I ran up to her and told her that she was my hero...her answer was to point to the back of her shirt where she had the names of her honorees and said, "For them I can do anything! Just don't tell my doctor!" She was the BOMB!! That's her in the picture below, dead center.
I want to grow up and be just as dedicated as her!!
The spectators were great as well. Literally hundreds of men (including my husband), women and children holding up signs for specific TNTers and others just holding up general signs for TNT participants. The Red Hat Society showing up 300 strong and encouraging all runners. Funny signs like "Worst Parade Ever!", "Your going the wrong way!", "Smoking is for quitters. Keep running!", "If it was easy, I'd be doing it!", "You're almost there!!" (at mile 4!! LOL!) and "If you haven't pooped in your pants, you've already won!" (a reference to runners trots). Signs from survivors of leukemia, lymphom and myeloma thanking TNT participants for supporting them. It was just all so outstanding!!
Then to be able to run in Disneyland and California Adventures before opening, running through the backlots...I don't think I've ever gotten through an amusement part that fast in my life!! lol! The crews at both parks clapping and cheering, the characters at the sides with lines of people wanting to take pics with them (I didn't stop for pics since my phone camera has some serious lag time and I couldn't find my "real" camera plus I'm just not a character picture person anyway). It was a real Disney experience....especially since I haven't been to Disneyland in something like 15 years!
All in all, I couldn't have asked for a better first experience with TNT. Thanks to Coach Leah and Aisha and Barbara in the Albuquerque office!! You girls ROCK!! So, in closing...in my last post to this training blog...all I have to say is two words:
GO TEAM!!
Well, those last checks and money orders finally posted last night! I'm now at 103% of my fundraising goal!! Thanks again to everyone who has donated and participated in my events. Without people like you the future would look bleak for those dealing with and trying to find a cure for blood cancers!! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!
I still have a couple of checks to mail in and I am not done fundraising for this organization. Please send your friends to this site to donate. Hopefully I'll have more new donation coming in as we get closer to the Tinkerbell Half Marathon at the end of January.
Just a quick training update: I ran a 10K this past Saturday with no ITBS pain, but some foot pain in the last 2 miles...I did have some pretty sore quads after not running for almost 8 weeks though! To be expected I guess! lol! So, I'm still in PT and just starting to run again on the treadmill. I will run at least part of the THM but no matter what I WILL finish!!
I've exceeded the fundraising goal that I set for myself!! Thank you to all of my donors!!! At the time of this posting the full amount isn't showing yet. Currently it's showing $2,850 and 86% after I deposited $570 from my Zumbathon on November 19th. I currently have some money orders and checks processing in the amount of $535 which should hopefully post tomorrow. That will bring my total up to $3,385!! That's $85 over my goal! I won't stop fundraising for this event since I still have until January 29th to continue raising funds; but I am sooooo relieved because when I started, I didn't think that I'd be able to even come close to raising the required amount. I have to thank one of my BFF's from high school, Ms. Sandra Burgett-Hutchinson, for her generous contribution which made my fundraising that much more effective! Everyone that has donated ROCKS!!! :D
So, with my goal reached I am assured a place with the TNT - NM/El Paso Chapter team for the Tinkerbell Half Marathon on January 29th! Training is a bit slow nowadays as I am still doing PT for my ITBS in my left hip. I get re-evaluated on Dec 19th to find out if I'll be able to run the race. If not, I'll be walking the half marathon...I really want to do my normal run/walk for the race though.
I'll keep posting here to keep you updated. I can officially be excited now!! I'll be even more excited if the physical therapist says that I can start running again!! So, keep your fingers crossed for me...I'll be doing a half marathon whether it's running or walking!!
THANK YOU ALL AGAIN!!! The lives that you have touched with your generosity will be in numbers that you can't have imagined!!! Fighting blood cancers one mile at a time & one dollar at a time!! GO TEAM!!
Well, yesterday I went to my very first physical therapy appointment and unfortunately got some bad news. It seems that I do, indeed, have a leg length discrepancy that has resulted in my left side of the pelvic bone becoming misaligned in the forward position which is causing the hip/knee pain. So, as of yesterday I am not allowed to do any high impact activities such as running for the next four weeks until I am re-evaluated after treatments. With only 70 days left before the Tinkerbell Half Marathon, this is news that I really didn't want to get.
I will continue to train using an elliptical, bike and/or an ARC trainer to at least keep my cardio up, but the transition back to running (if I'm allowed to) will likely be a bit troublesome and I'll only have 5-6 weeks to get back into running form. But fear not! No matter what I am participating in the half marathon!! I will walk the whole course if I need to!! No way I'm missing this event!! Too much sweat and work has gone into this for me not to participate!! So, boost my morale up a little by donating what you can, please!! Any amount helps!! Also, please feel free to share my Facebook posts and any of the websites I'm going to list below and as always...THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!
Find me on Facebook: MouseRN
This website: http://bit.ly/TNTBeth
Local Fundraising website: http://wix.com/ClovisTNT/home
So, I've just gotten back from the post office after sending off the previously mentioned $400 of business donations plus another $370 for a total of $770 which will take a little while to be credited to my total that shows on my page. I also just made an online deposit (rather than a donation) of funds from the 5K plus Zumbathon registrations of $150. So now that brings me up to a total of $2,195!! That is just $555 shy of my minimum goal of $2,750 and $1,105 shy of my overall goal of $3,300!! Yay!!
I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the participants of the 5K Run/Walk for braving the cold (it was in the low 40°'s) and coming out to support the LLS and I. You guys all ROCK!!
I'd also like to thank my dentist, Dr. Brian Zarikta and his office, for their donation of $100 which I was presented with after getting a filling today!! lol!! Thanks for your support!!
Well, onward and forward! Still a lot of money to raise and a lot of training to do...only 80 (EIGHTY!!) days until the Tinkerbell Half Marathon!! GO TEAM!!!
Sandra Hutchinson | $1,000.00 |
6 Hour Zumbathon Fun... | $570.00 |
6 Hr Zumbathon Fundr... | $300.00 |
S & S Supermarke... | $250.00 |
6 Hr Zumbathon Fundr... | $195.00 |
Clovis 5K Run/Walk &... | $150.00 |
USA Nails Inc | $100.00 |
Brian Zarikta, DDS | $100.00 |
$100.00 | |
Western Bank Of Clov... | $50.00 |
Marvin Marin | $50.00 |
Lori Hicks | $40.00 |
Antoinette Diaz | $25.00 |
Susan Lucero | $25.00 |
Robert Romero | $25.00 |
Betty Sutherland | $25.00 |
Jennifer Storseth | $25.00 |
Winford Marion | $25.00 |
Sylvester Evans | $25.00 |
Willie Hoadley | $25.00 |
Crystal Sutherland | $25.00 |
Rosemary Lucero | $25.00 |
Loraine Koenig | $25.00 |
Anonymous | $25.00 |
Christina Thompson | $25.00 |
Ausa Salem Faria &am... | $25.00 |
Jack Bostick | $25.00 |
Gwendolyn Small | $25.00 |
Debbie Anthony | $20.00 |
Monica Vigil | $20.00 |
Melissa Hobbs | $20.00 |
FLORA VARGA | $20.00 |
Alessia Toth | $20.00 |
Gary Ross | $10.00 |
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The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society® (LLS) is a global leader in the fight against cancer. The LLS mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world, provides free information and support services, and is the voice for all blood cancer patients seeking access to quality, affordable, coordinated care. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is a 501(c)(3) organization, and all monetary donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by tax laws. Please check with your financial advisor if you have more questions.