**Mar 29, 2009 Update:

I'm SO SUPER EXCITED because I met my fundraising goal! Woot woot! :) Not having to worry about fundraising relieves so much stress! Yay! I couldn't have done it without the people who donated (see right -->), so THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

Oh, and just because I already met my fundraising goal/minimum, it doesn't mean I'm not taking anymore donations! You are definitely still welcome to donate to me and LLS! :)

It's CRAZY to think how far I've gotten with my running/training in the last couple of months. I could barely run 1 mile, but this weekend I completed 13 miles (pretty much a half marathon)!

<3, a-very-sore-but-super-happy April Joy

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**Feb 26, 2009 Update:

Hi all! Just wanted to give a quickie update! I'm excited to say that I'm almost at my fundraising goal of $1750! Just a few more hundred dollars to go and then all I'll have to worry about is my running! YAY! :)

Speaking of running, training is coming along great! I'm definitely taking baby steps, but I am sooo happy to say that I ran my first 5 miles ever in life last week and this week, I've managed to survive a very hill-y/incline-y 7 miles! Twice! Talk about runners high. For 1) I never imagined I'd be able to run so long and so often and 2) I'm actually learning to not really LIKE to run, but at least, tolerate it! That's something I never thought I'd be able to say. Haha!

Hope all is well for you! Now donate! :)

<3, April Joy

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Hi Everyone! :)

I made a personal goal to myself to finish a marathon before my 26th birthday (for those of you who need a reminder, it's on October 5). As someone who doesn't like to run or do any type of physical activity, I figured this would be a good way to not just better myself right now, but to do something I can look back on when I'm older and be proud of.

To reach my goal, I'm training 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!

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!