Thank you for supporting my efforts to meet the challenge of the 2012 Grand Canyon hike with Team In Training benefiting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). Your help and encouragement got me to the finish line. But more importantly, you are helping to accelerate finding cures for leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma and bring increased hope to nearly 958,000 American patients and their families who are on the front lines of the battle against these blood cancers.

With your help and support, we raised $3977.00 during my participation on the Grand Canyon hike team. Additionally, I earned Triple Crown status by completing this event. Triple Crown status is given to those who complete three events of differing sports. I couldn’t have achieved either of these without your encouragement and support.

I have two public photo albums, one for training and the other at the Grand Canyon. If interested, please view my photos and leave a comment or two.

Training

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150477766941507.361764.657256506&type=3&l=8ae21f8092

Grand Canyon

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150807851466507.392252.657256506&type=3&l=9f47129f8b

A few posts back, I wrote about Kaitlin. If you missed it, you can read about this little girl's story here. She wrote everyone on our hike team a letter. I wanted to share the letter she gave me.

I first met Doug Campbell in December of 2010 at our Cycling team’s Honored Heroes dinner. Doug, a cheerful and outgoing man, is an active member of TNT NTX and serves as the chairman of our TNT Mission Committee. He was diagnosed with blood cancer in 2000, and has been in remission several times.

That evening, Doug shared his story and wanted us to know that to him my cycling teammates are the real heroes in the room. He was thankful for our commitment to do something to give him and others like him hope and a reason to continue their fight. Having trained for cycling events in the past, he also advised us to “just keep peddling”.

Last year while training for the half marathon, I was worried Doug was reaching the end of his battle. Currently, Doug is fighting graft versus host disease and is tired of his ongoing battle with blood cancer. I’ve followed his story through the caring bridge website, and the things he goes through just to live another day is heartbreaking and downright scary. Not only is Doug fighting this battle, it places an enormous amount of stress on his wife and kids who provide their support and love.

Doug is truly an amazing man, and has completed multiple TNT events, including an Ironman, while in the midst of his battle. Even though I’ve only met him once, he left a big impression on me. He is an encouraging voice in my head telling me to “just keep peddling” even while training for the half marathon and also now that I’m training to hike the Grand Canyon.

I don’t consider myself to be a hero, but Doug is definitely right about one thing. My involvement with Team In Training is partly driven by a commitment to give Doug and others like him hope and a reason to continue their fight. However I can’t do it without your help. Every donation helps fund research, provides medical payment assistance, and provides education and support for families in need. Please help me battle blood cancers join me in making a difference by donating today.

We have been hiking every weekend, each time increasing the milage. Along the way, I've gotten to visit some interesting parks and preserves while learning more about my teammates. Here are a few images from a couple recent hikes.

One of our teammates sharing her Honored Hero story and the steer we saw later.

A group shot and Texas bluebonnets

A couple more group shots

We made it up the steep bridge.