Dear Family and Friends,

I know most of you either didn’t know I was a runner or were surprised when you found out. It all started when I was talked into signing up for my first half marathon (first race at all actually) and decided maybe I should start running to get ready for it. Completing that was an awesome feeling and I remember thinking, wow…people who do full marathons are CRAZY. Then after my 3^rd half, I decided maybe I wanted to be crazy too and I signed up for a full marathon. I had some work to do.

I joined the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team In Training program because I needed the help training, support of others, and the motivation to see it through. I wanted a program that had years of experience and that the money went to charity – working towards a cure for blood cancers. They became family. I ran with these people who started as strangers through the heat of the summer…hours and hours, miles and miles, bucket and buckets and buckets of sweat. So imagine the irony when weeks before the race that had already changed my life, I was diagnosed with cancer. Thankfully I was able to complete the race before surgery with zero impact to my health. And even more thankfully, I am now cancer free. There are so many who aren’t so fortunate.

Now I understand why my TEAMmates run back to back seasons with Team In Training and never leave. I now realize the fight isn’t to reach the finish line, it’s to reach a cure. And I’ll run until we do. I’m entering my second season with TEAM and would like your help. I promise to do the training, but I need your support for the fundraising. I have three events scheduled and will risk total humiliation in return for fundraising dollars. You will receive an opportunity to support me for each one.

Here’s my proposal. Challenge #1 is the Dolphin Challenge over St. Patrick’s Day weekend. I will be doing an 8K on Saturday and a half marathon on Sunday (8K + half = 17.96 miles). Every person who donates $17.96 or more to my fundraising page will receive a picture of me running it in a tutu. Yeah, that’s right, a tutu. Stop that laughter now! This is serious fundraising.   You will get a similar email before each of my three events. OR…you can donate $100 now to receive all 3 photos of the events and I won’t send you an email each time. And there might be a video included if you choose this option. Here’s something to wet your appetite. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0LUdU_ydHA

What better way to spend part of that tax refund than on a nice, life-saving, tax deductible donation to find a cure for cancer? If your employer offers matching gift, please also remember to include that as well. Fundraising page: http://pages.teamintraining.org/ntx/heels14/Miranda

Thank you so much for your support,

Lonnie