It's race week!

After running approximately 215 training miles over the past several weeks, it comes down to the final 13.1 miles. Every step I take during my race on Saturday will be in honor of someone who has survived a blood cancer, in memory of someone who lost their battle or in honor of family and loved ones who have been affected by cancer. I will be wearing a ribbon for all memorials and honorees that you submitted with your most gracious donations.

Thank you to everyone for your words of encouragement and for your contributions to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Your support means so much to me and has given me much inspiration and my training much purpose. The money we have raised, along with other TNT members, is support the critical mission of LLS: to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families.

Since its founding, LLS has invested more than $750 million in blood cancer research and funds more blood cancer research than all other voluntary health agencies.

An LLS-funded researcher developed Gleevec®, a pill for Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML). Now, more than 95 percent of newly diagnosed CML patients survive more than five years with a good quality of life. LLS was also instrumental in the development of Velcade®, a targeted treatment approved for patients with multiple myeloma and mantle cell lymphoma.

I am grateful for your support to help fund these and many more milestones to eventually BEAT CANCER! We're beating cancer ONE MILE AT A TIME. Thank you.

I'm off to the finish line!

A few months ago when I signed up to run a half marathon to raise money for the Leukemai & Lymphoma Society, I don't think I actually believed I could do it! Because of the support and contributions to my fundraiser by family and friends and the encouragement and camaraderie of my Team in Training teammates, I'm on the final stretch!

During our long runs the past few Saturdays as we journey from Furman up to Travelers Rest and back, I begin to wonder why I'm doing this. Usually around miles 7 and 8, I start focusing on my aching knees, tired feet and growling stomach! But then I remember why I'm running - to fight blood cancers!

I remember my niece in her hospital bed with a tube pumping chemicals into her chest to kill the cancer that was trying to take over her little body.

She had the courage and fight in her to beat cancer, the least I can do is put one foot in front of the other. This is what gets me through the final stretch, and it gives me a renewed sense of energy and determination as I cross the finish line.

One of my TNT teammates recently lost a dear friend to Accute Myeloid Leukemia, and his friend's battle with cancer was his purpose for running a full marathon with Team in Training. He sent an e-mail to the Greenville TNT team that stated it well when he wrote:

"So when you are cold, tired, wet, thirsty and just plain exhausted from training, take a minute and remember your personal reasons for why you are doing what you are doing. I promise the miles will melt away once the true meaning of 'why in the world am I doing this?' truly sinks in. Thank you all for everything you are doing to fight this horrific disease."

We're on the final stretch in our fight against cancer - I'm beating cancer one mile at a time with the help of friends, family and TNT teammates. When I complete my half marathon in two weeks, I will have logged almost 230 miles! THANK YOU for your support and for being there every step of the way.

I've reached my goal, but every donation will help LLS find a cure for leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's Disease and myeloma. Every 5 minutes, someone is newly diagnosed with a blood cancer. Every 10 minutes, another child or adult is expected to die from a blood-related cancer.

We MUST find a cure, and your donation can help!

Today we celebrated Alicia's 16th birthday...wow, 16! It's hard to believe that it was just five years ago that she was diagnosed with Stage IV Lymphoma. A lot has happened since then.

She celebrated five birthdays...

Welcomed our youngest son into the world and celebrated four birthdays with him...

Finished elementary school, middle school and started high school...

Traveled to Spain and the Dominican Republic...

Watched her older sister graduate from high school and go off to college...

Got her driver's license...and a car!

These are some of the many things we are thankful for. Because of her wonderful doctors, her advanced chemotherapy and radiation treatments and her spirit of survival, Alicia beat cancer. She's my inspiration and what keeps me RUNNING FOR A CURE...even on cold, rainy days.

In 40 days, I'll be at the start line ready to take on the 13.1 mile course just the way Alicia took on cancer! For Alicia and the other nearly 1 million people affected by blood cancers, I'm running for a cure ONE MILE AT A TIME.

Please click on the link below for a video which tells my story for joining Team In Training:

ONE MILE AT A TIME VIDEO.

Thank you!

As a runner, I find myself obsessed with time...my 5K time...what time I need to wake up to get my run in...the time I need to invest in training for my first half marathon...my time goal to complete a 13.1 mile run.

Something happened this past week to give me a new perspective on time. My niece got her driver's license and her first car...she will be 16 years old this month!

Almost six years ago, we were gathered around her hospital bed praying that God would save her life. We hoped that she would be given more time with us, but what we received was so much more...we received moments.

What's the difference between time and moments? Time is passing, moments are remembered forever.

Since Alicia was in the hospital fighting Hodgkin Lymphoma, we have shared many moments. We have celebrated birthdays and holidays. We've gone on trips to the beach. She finished elementary school and middle school and is now in high school. She has created memories with her friends that will last her entire lifetime.

These are moments that we weren't sure she would ever experience when her doctors first told us about her Stage IV cancer and the surgery, chemotherapy and radiation she would have to go through to survive. We have treasured the moments of her life, and I have never been so excited for a teenager to get her license and a car! It may be something others take for granted, but it's something our family is thankful for.

So now, I will stop worrying about time and start focusing on moments. I will enjoy running with my Botany Woods partners and my Team in Training. And I will relish each moment in Disney as I race one mile after another to fight blood cancers...for Alicia and for the millions of moments waiting to happen.

May your day be filled with many memorable moments!

Gotta run!

Fall Break took us to the coast of South Carolina this past weekend, and I remembered to pack my tennis shoes...and that's about it. I forgot my baseball hat, my running sunglasses and (gasp) my iPod!

On vacation at the beach, I found no reason to get up before the crack of dawn to run. Boy, I wish I had! At 9:30 in the morning, it was already bright, sunny and warm, and it was all I could do to find my way around Pawley's Plantation with the glare of the sun in my eyes and the heat making me regret wearing a long-sleeved shirt.

And no music. That was the ticker. When I run solo, I HAVE to have my music. I must've looked at my phone a million times to see how long I'd been running. Fifteen minutes seemed like 50. I ran 3 miles on Friday and 5 miles on Saturday...5 silent, sunny miles!

But I got it done. And the change of scenery was nice.

After the run, I thought to myself "Who am I to complain about no shades and no music? I'm running for people fighting cancer. I have no worries."

When I got back to Greenville and went through our mail and checked my TNT donation page, I was humbled at the number of donations that had come in since I sent my letters out. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!

With the online donations plus those I've received in the mail and in person, I'm already halfway to my goal. WOW! Thank you for your generous support of my run for a cause. I will remember each of you as I run those miles in January.

Together, we are joining the fight against blood cancers.

Gotta run!