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Forget "Run, Forrest, RUN!!!" It's gonna be "Crawl, Carol, CRAWL!!!" by the time I get near the finish line!

NEWSFLASH: I DID IT!!! I walked all 26.2 miles in the Walt Disney World Marathon on 1/10/2010. It only took me 7:23:03 (that's 7 hours, 23 minutes and 3 seconds) to do it, too! I was even still able to walk afterwards! I had some stiffness, but my Team in Training coaches did a great job training me, because I made it through 2 airports, 1 airport shuttle bus, the NYC Subway and a bus the very next day, all while wheeling a 45 pound suitcase without a problem!

YOU DID IT!!! You all helped me cross that finish line! Your generous donations and moral support were what kept me going after around mile 18, when things got a bit tough. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!

I may need my head examined... I have signed up to walk in my very first marathon in Walt Disney World to support The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team In Training. I'm committing to walking 26.2 miles in this event. In doing so, my goal is to raise $3,700 for LLS to help bring hope and at least some ease of mind to people facing blood cancers like leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's lymphoma and myeloma.

Be sure to visit the "Crawl, Carol, CRAWL!!!" blog for updates at http://crawlcarolcrawl.blogspot.com

Want a cool t-shirt, button or water bottle?

Visit the "Crawl, Carol, CRAWL!!!" Store at

http://www.cafepress.com/crawlcarolcrawl

This is, without a doubt, the biggest thing I've undertaken in my life so far. It's also one of the scariest - what if I fail??? I've never tried to raise this much money before in my whole entire LIFE! To say the prospect of doing so is a bit intimidating is an understatement! I'm more afraid of that than of the prospect of walking 26.2 miles!

If I fail, for starters, it means no marathon and no Disney World for me (which certainly would be tragic), but more importantly...

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is projected to fall a staggering $25 million short of their national budget this year. So what does that mean? That means that for some, the LLS co-pay fund that once helped cover the costs of medications and doctor visits is now depleted. That also means that research funding is being scaled back, slowing advancements in treatments and towards a cure.

Your donation can make such a huge difference. It funds research, assists patients with small reimbursements for treatment expenses, and most important- it brings hope to so many. Please donate what you can. I know the economy is tough on us all, but please think as big and dig as deep as you're able. Every dollar counts.

If you're not able to donate, there are loads of other ways you can help me make this happen. I've listed them below, and they're equally important and greatly appreciated.

To donate by check, you can make checks payable to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and mail them to me at the following address:

"Carol Martzinek

Courtroom Connect

75 Maiden Lane - Suite 804

New York, NY 10038"

Some other ways you can help me "Crawl, Carol, CRAWL!!!":

* If you have a facebook page, please share the following link on your profile every week or so: http://tinyurl.com/marathonwoman and encourage your friends to donate and share it as well.

* If you have a blog or website, if you could post a link to my Team in Training website with a small blurb like the one below, it will help tremendously:

• "Crawl, Carol, CRAWL!!!" - Please support Carol as she trains to walk in her first marathon to raise funds for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team in Training. http://pages.teamintraining.org/nyc/wdw10/cmartzinek

* If you know of anyone who would be interested buying an arm or a leg, and having their company name prominently displayed in multi-colored Sharpie ink, please have them contact me at mscarolm@ gmail.com

* If you know of any local media that might be interested in including a short story about this, please let me know and I will e-mail them.

Thanks for taking the time to read and for anything you can do to help me "Crawl, Carol, CRAWL!!!" Be sure to check back frequently to see my progress. Thanks for your support!

11/21/2009 - I walked the equivalent of a half marathon! That's 13.1 miles! Not only did I walk it, but I still felt good afterwards. No pain, and NO BLISTERS!!! Of course, by the time 7 o'clock rolled around, I was ready for bed and had to make myself stay up until at least 9 o'clock, but that's okay:-)

10/24/2009 - I participated in my first 10K race!!! On Sunday, 10/24, I was up at 4:30AM and out the door before 6AM to participate in the Nike+ Human Race in Prospect Park, Brooklyn. My official time was 1:40' 54" - not bad, considering I was walking and not running it. I came in 3,448th out of 3,464 - at least I wasn't LAST!!!

10/03/2009 - 4 miles in under ONE HOUR!!! Came home after a long day to find $125 in donation checks in my mailbox, bringing me closer to my goal! $1,406 raised (the total on this page lags behind a bit), $2,294 to go!

9/29/2009 - Plans are underway for a Tastefully Simple online fund raising party in late October. Stay tuned for details.

9/28/2009 - Did 2.27 miles in 35 minutes, 5 seconds on the treadmill at the gym, plus the walk to/from the gym, for a total of 4 miles before 8 o'clock in the morning!

9/26/2009 - Did a 5 mile training session, with an additional 3 miles of walking to/from the subway. Logged just over 8 miles before noon!

9/25/2009 - In addition to the amount listed above, I mailed in an additional $248 in checks this afternoon, and I have pledges of about another $200 or so! Training session tomorrow morning at Central Park, where I'll be wearing my new t-shirt. Picture may follow!