The finish line is just around the corner, well, ok, it's 4 days and some hours away, and well yes, also that 13.1 miles it will take to get there...but I am ready. I have been training for the past 4 months and now I am just ready to do it. I decided to do this event in part because I wanted to get out of my (many years long) slump and get my body moving. I wanted to start something hard and actually follow through until the end of it. I feel that this will only be the beginning though. I am already thinking of what type of physical activity I would like to try next...this is a good thing! Iam just trying to get good rest and stay strong these days leading up to 10/10/10.

I want to thank you again, my community, for donating to LLS and sharing some of your own stories with me. As I walk those miles on Sunday, I will be doing it for your honored people as well and I want them to be recognized here. These people, their families, and all the other families dealing with Cancer are the reason that I am here doing this:

I will walk~

* in memory of my grandma, Verna Pedrin Brown

* in honor of Madison Melgard as she is nearing her Cancer free date in 2011!!!

*In memory of Eric Thomas

*In support of Dana Togne

*In memory of Dora Mcfadden

*In memory of Alison arokae's Aunt Ayli Van Zandt

*In memory of Tama's 2nd cousin Thomas Heary

and so many others...if I missed someone's loved one...comment here so i can add them to this list...

Thanks again for all the support and see you at the marathon?!!

I can't believe it's almost here! The Portland Half Marathon is only 2 weeks away! I have achieved my biggest mileage (11 miles last saturday) and am beginning to taper down until race day on 10/10/10 when i will walk 13.1 miles & through a finish line! This is a huge accomplishment for me, one I feel that I have rarely done that in my life.In the past I have started a great many tasks/projects/interests but getting all the way to a "finish line" hasn't been my style,until NOW.

I have met so many fantastic people on my team over these past few months of training: some novices like myself, others seasoned veterans who have been doing these events and fundraising for years. The most incredible team mates have been the ones who have dealt (or conitnue to deal) with Cancer themselves, continuing to train hard and carry on with terrific attitudes and healthy smiles to share with all of us. Truly inspiring!

Thank you to all of you in my community who have donated already to this cause and given your support to a great organization that helps so many people around the world. If you haven't donated yet, please do so today, you won't regret it, of this I am certain!

I will be crossing that finish line on Sunday the 10th, I hope that you will come on down and support me if you want to...anywhere between milepost 10 and the end will be super dooper... I appreciate the support!

I would like to thank my family for their patience and support: My Mom and the M's for helping with childcare so I could train, and especially to My Hubby Steve and Son Julian for all those Saturdays without me while I trained early mornings and then was in recovery most of the rest of the days~ I look forward to having those saturdays back to spend with you~ I love you!

And a special shout out to my 2 "pace partners" Gina and Christy (pictured above): You have both helped make my training so much better and I really appreciate your presence and support- Thank You!!!

I wish that by crossing a finish line, it meant a "Finish" to Cancer as well...but in the meantime, let's keep doing what we can to support the fight against it and give to LLS!

Justine

Why is this woman smiling? It is due in part to YOU!! This hat represents the fact that I have raised the minimum fundraising required ($1500) to be part of the Team in Training for the Portland Half Marathon and it is mostly due to generous donations from all of you in my wonderful community of friends and family. I am hoping to surpass even my personal goal ($2000) BEFORE Race day (10/10/10)...if you have not donated yet and still plan to, please consider taking a moment to do so today, here online or you can send me a check and I will get it in for you. Thank you so much for helping such a good organization to help help save lives through cancer research and supporting families that are dealing with this awful disease.

My training has been slow but steady, I am up to 7 miles this Saturday and will continue to increase that each week until the final stretch in October. I am grateful to have 2 "pace partners" to walk with each week, which helps me get out of bed at the crack of dawn and get moving, and stay out of my head (which can be self defeating at times!). I know that, with them at my side, I can make it and complete this half marathon. I will try to post my progress a little more often in the coming weeks...thank you so much for your encouraging words and support,it means so much to me!

Racing to Save Lives

Welcome to my Team In Training home page.

I'm training to participate in the Portland 1/2 Marathon as a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team In Training. 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 honor of all individuals who are battling blood cancers. These people are the real heroes on our team, and we need your support to cross the ultimate finish line - a cure!

This is not only a chance for me to raise funds for this organization and walk in memory of my grandmother Verna (who died of Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma), and in honor of my friend's Daughter, Madison (who is currently in remission-yay!), but it is giving me a chance to turn my life around as well by steering me towards the fitness goals I have longed (but not been able) to reach for many years. I am stepping outside of my comfort zone, with the love and support of you, my community, friends and family, to challenge myself to a higher potential with my body and spirit. This means so much to me, now more than ever.

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!