"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming - WOW - What a ride!" - Anonymous

Last February, I crossed the finish line in my first half marathon. This milestone came just four days after my aunt Leslie, one of my biggest cheerleaders, succumbed to her 19 year battle against Stage IV breast cancer.

Les exemplified the quote above like no one else I know. She pushed through the pain of each day, while still seeing life’s beauty and enjoying every second of the ride, something I admittedly don’t do enough of. When I crossed that finish line in February, I vowed to continue pushing myself to new limits, both mentally and physically, in Les’s honor. Seven months later, I completed my first Olympic distance triathlon (1.5k Swim, 40k Bike, 10k Run) as a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team In Training. Thanks to the incredible generosity of family and friends, I raised just under $3,000 in Les’s honor during my training.

A family affair, my oldest brother Adam completed his first triathlon in Arizona shortly thereafter, also fundraising for what he deemed his “Tri for Les.”

This April, I will venture out to the waters of Kona, Hawaii to race alongside (or in front of :)) Adam in the Lavaman Triathlon for our Tri for Les 2012. Collectively, the two of us will raise $8,800 towards cancer research.

In celebration of my Aunt Leslie, and in celebration of all the warriors out there fighting their own battles and seeing the beauty in life, please help me cross the ultimate finish line – a cure for cancer. Your support, both monetary and spiritual, is much appreciated and I look forward to sharing this experience with you along the way.

Aloha!