Augusta Ironman 70.3 Here I Come!!

The Augusta Half Ironman Team doing a practice ride in Augusta

September 14, 2009

Augusta is almost here!! I have two more weeks of training and fundraising!! Our coach Brent has done a great job of getting us prepared for our event. I actually got to go up to DC this past weekend and watch some of our teammates participate in the Nation's Tri....everyone did awesome!!

As for the fundraising, I have met the goal I set for myself, but the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society is always in need of donations. If you haven't given yet, please still consider it. It really goes to a great cause and really helps people in their time of need---as I was reminded of this past weekend by a young man (probably barely 17) who is 22 months in remission and truly benefited from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society research and support!!

Thank you for all your support and God Bless!!

August 14, 2009

My training and fundraising has been going great! I survived our first 50 mile bike ride (which actually ended up being 57 miles), and we since have done 60 miles with another 60 miler coming up soon!! My swimming still has plenty of room for improvement....i just need a lot of help to become more efficient!! I participated in another sprint tri a couple of weeks ago and actually won my age group!! I have another one this Sunday.....i hope i can improve a little more!!

Thank you to all who have donated money! Your support really means a lot to me and it helps keep me motivated to train each and everyday!! It won't be long and I will be updating you that I did it!!

God Bless!!

July 20, 2009

Just wanted to let you know that training is going great!! There is a lot of it.....but it is going great. As far as training is going, we have gotten up to swimming just over a mile in our open water swims, 40-45 miles on the bike (we go up to 50 this Saturday), and about 9-10 miles running. So, we are getting closer to the distances each part of the triathlon will be. And if the distances weren't enough, we are now adding brick sessions to the schedule. This means we do two things back to back to start to mock the triathlon. This past Saturday we rode 40 miles on the bike and then jumped off, put our running shoes on and ran for 30 minutes!! Needless to say, I was tired afterwards.....but felt good!! Also as part of my training, I completed my first sprint tri of the season. While I didn't feel good during the race, I still finished with a good time!

My fundraising is going well, but has room for improvement!! Thank you so much to everyone that has already donated!! Your money will help some families during a really difficult time!!

Dear Family and Friends,

About a year ago, I decided to train for a triathlon through the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team in Training (TNT). While they helped coach me for my event, I helped them raise money. The experience was very rewarding!! When I got to the Nation's Tri in D.C., I had the opportunity to meet a survivor who was participating in the triathlon the next day who was my age. She had been diagnosed early on in college, but has survived! While listening to her talk, I decided that there was no better way to use my athletic ability than to help raise money for the LLS every year.

The LLS is a wonderful society that helps patients and their families in many ways throughout their fight of battling their blood cancer. (And after the little bit of fighting and hospital stays we have had to do over the last couple of months with Sage's kidneys, I can only imagine what the patients and families go through during their battle with their blood cancer.) I know that the financial and emotional support provided to the patients and families by the LLS is needed, welcomed, and much appreciated!! So, here are some of the current blood cancer statistics:

-An estimated 894, 543 Americans are living with leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma.

-Leukemia causes more deaths than any other cancer among children and young adults under the age of 20.

-The relative five-year survival rate for patients with leukemia has increased from 14% to 51%, Hodgkin lymphoma from 74% to 86%, non-Hodgkin lymphoma from 48% to 65%, and myeloma from 12% to 35%.

The hopefulness of the last statistic has been partially accomplished because of the generous donations from people like you.

Last year I did the Olympic distance Nation's Tri in D.C., and this year I have decided to take my training a step further. This year I am training for the Augusta Ironman 70.3 (a half-Ironman in Augusta, GA). I am stepping up my training and hope that you can step up your support! I understand that times are tough for many of us, but as cliche as it sounds, every little bit helps. This year I am setting my goal at $3000.00. So please help me support the patients and families fighting leukemia and lymphoma and make their battle just a little bit easier!! It would be great to have your donation to me by August 1st, but feel free to send a donation after that date==the LLS always will accept a donation!!

I will be sharing my adventures in training on my personal website (www.lowcountrymommaonthego.weebly.com). So, please follow along and send me words of encouragement!! Again, please follow my adventures and help me have another successful TNT event!!

Thanks in Advance!!

Jamie

P.S. If you have someone you would like me to participate in Honor/Memory of, please let me know!!