Hello friends!

Welcome to the Run Fran Run website where I'll be encouraging all of you to dig into your wallets and support my efforts to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS).

At this point I'd like to cue the Mission Impossible music. Dun-dun-da-dum, dun-dun-da-dum...diddle-le-derr, diddle-le-derr, da-dum ♫♪. Now that you are seeing images of Crazy Cruise hovering above a gadget in a white room, I can add an image that's equally as preposterous. I am planning to run/huff-and-puff for 13 miles (22 kilometers). I'll be taking part in the New York City Half Marathon on 18 March. For someone who's never ever run before this is pretty daunting and I can't quite believe I've taken on such a challenge.

Part of said Mission Impossible is to help find cures and more effective treatments for blood cancers. This event will raise funds for the LLS' Team In Training. I will be raising funds to help find cures and better treatments for leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma. They say this 'get fit' challenge will improve the quality of my life (umm, time away from a block of chocolate on the couch doesn't sound like much of an improvement to me, but I guess we'll see), but more importantly if people are so kind as to support me then the funds raised can help improve the quality of life for patients and their families as well.

I don't want to get too emotional here, but basically we've all been unfortunate enough to know someone with cancer. It's a cruel, non-discriminating disease. It can wreck lives and devastate families. Even if I can do something small, to help even one patient, then I'd like to be able to offer that support.

Therefore I humbly request that you please make a donation in support of my efforts to help advance the research for cures. I am most grateful for whatever small amount people can give.

In the meantime I'll try to keep any interested pals updated with what is sure to be my hilarious attempts to run 13 miles. With that in mind I'm off for a slice of pizza...(what? I'm an athlete now! Aren't we meant to carbo-load??)

Thanks and best wishes

Fran xo

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Well here's first pics of me dressed up like Sporty Spice - ran the Joe Kleinerman 10km through Central Park on Saturday 7th Jan. Getting to the race was a bit of a debacle - a few drinks the night before almost led to missing the start time but a crazy NY cabbie saved the day. (And the previous night's bevvies just fueled me on :)

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Here I am with my co-workers / co-runners Krystalla and Gabi. Don't let the sunny pic fool you - this day was 17F/-9C and we were freezing! My nose was so cold I commented that it was about to fall off. Ed remarked that it's lucky I'm not Pinocchio as that'd be a mess to clean up. Indeed.

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And here's some happy snaps of me running around. Run Fran Run. Yesterday I ran so I can say I put the "ran" in "F-ran-tastic". Sorry, terrible pun.

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LASTLY - I should say that no amount is too small! I'm very grateful for whatever people can donate! Many thanks xoxo