We did it! Here is a pic of our team right before our half marathon! The weather was perfect! I think it was in the 50's when we got started. The whole time we were there I don't think it got above 70 degrees. Back home it was in the high 90's!

My nephew Brice and his fiancee Andrea also ran in the race. My friend Jana went with me. Brice and Andrea did an incredible job showing us around San Diego and taking us to the best sites, shopping spots and restaurants! The race was on Sunday June 5th. I was well prepared and was happy with my time and energy.

We ran with ribbons on the back of our jerseys with people's names on them. Here are who I ran for--I ran in honor of Jane Elbon , Vicki Clendenin , Kristen Hurd Johnson , Alisha Montgomery Griffith, Micaela White & Pat Ward. I ran in memory of Peter Patrk (my dad), Larry Breck, Wilson Holloway , & Pam Dunn

Then next day was my birthday and Jana and I took a ferry to Coronado Island. We went to the Del Coronado hotel and did lots of walking to all the shops. We loved the cupcake shop! They had special birthday cupcakes and Jana had also found me a cupcake necklace! I was ok with eating it since I ran 13 miles the day before!

Thank you for supporting me both financially and with your friendship! I was so excited to be able to be a part of this! The race raised over $9 million dollars for LLS! Thanks for helping me with a cause that is near and dear to my heart!

Today was my last long run-6 miles or so- until the big day! The race is next Sunday, June 5. I feel ready. My spring has been unusual-I have been gone so much with traveling-mostly due to the fact that my mom has been in the hospital/rehab/icu since Jan 29 (in Dallas) . Some of my travels have been for work or fun. I have missed not running with my teammates as much as I had planned. The good thing is I have been able to run wherever I have been-Scottsdale, Colorado Springs and mostly Dallas. That's what I love about running-I can run most anywhere!

I wrote about Team in Training in my blog recently- http://happyfirstblog.com/2011/my-team-in-training-journey/ .

I haven't put in as much time this time around with the fundraising, but know it will come together! I have had some people donate, it is just not up on my site just yet, checks take a couple of weeks to process. I will be fundraising til the end of June (we can fundraise a month after the race). If the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society is an organization you would like to contribute to, please donate here online! Or send a check made out to LLS to me at Debbie Vinyard

1006 West Taft St. Sapulpa, OK 74066.

If you want me to wear a ribbon while I run in honor or memory of someone, please let me know! My email is debbie@happyfirst.com .

I'm so excited, my friend Jana is going with me to San Diego and my nephew Brice and his fiancee Andrea will also be running with me! (They live in San Diego).

Thanks for all of your encouragement and support!

deb

Racing to Save Lives

Welcome to my Team In Training home page!

I'm training to participate in my second endurance event as a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team In Training (TNT). I am doing the half marathon in San Diego, California on June 5, 2011. All of us on Team In Training are raising funds to help stop leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma from taking more lives. I am completing this event in memory of my dad, Peter Patrk, who passed away from multiple myeloma.

My first event was the Nike San Francisco half marathon on October 17, 2010. With the help of generous friends and family I was able to raise over $5000! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Because of this incredible experience I wanted to do it again and raise it up a notch. So this time I am running but also I am a Mentor for TNT. Mentors help others with their fundraising and encourage them along the way. I am absolutely loving it.

As many of you know, I am a Hodgkin's survivor (16 years!) and started a company www.happyfirst.com that contributes to LLS. I sell clothing and accessories designed to inspire people to find their passion and pursue it. I am so grateful to have a second chance at life and want to seize the day and to encourage others to do the same. I just recently launched a blog too, www.happyfirstblog.com. In addition to updating you here on this site, I will be blogging about TNT on my happy first blog from time to time too!

Please make a donation to support my participation in Team In Training and help advance LLS's mission.

I hope you will visit my web site often. Be sure to check back frequently to see my progress. Thanks for your support!