I can hardly believe that my first half marathon is 5 days away - aaaahhh!!! I am nervous but mostly excited. The anticipation of this moment has culminated over the last 11 weeks of training and I am thrilled to have come this far.
I will wait until after my marathon to reflect on the whole experience, but suffice it to say that this has been one of the best things I've ever done. I have met some truly inspiring people, been surrounded by positivity and have become better - physically and emotionally - as a person. Again, I'll wait till after race day to elaborate!
I do want to take a moment to say another THANK YOU to my supporters, especially to those who contributed financially. In this economy I don't take it lightly when someone opens their wallet and makes a donation. I cannot stress enough how much this means to me, but more importantly, to the patients and families who are fighting for their lives. These donations make their fight just a little easier and I thank you on their behalf.
That being said, I am ready to rock those 13.1 miles!!! GO TEAM!
This week's training was an exciting one! It was the Nike Preview - when we get to preview part of the official course and train on it. I'm not gonna lie, when Coach Doug said we'd be doing 10 miles (after just doing 7 miles the weekend before), I was pretty nauseous. I was so intimidated by the idea of 10 miles and I thought to myself, "I can't do that." I spent all of last Thursday in a mild panic attack, worrying about how I would make it through. Luckily, I got some amazing pep talks from my seasoned marathon friends Uyen and April - they had so much confidence in me and kept telling me that I could do it, that I started to believe them. And then I thought about my mom, and all the patients out there fighting blood cancers and I knew that these 10 miles were nothing compared to what they faced. After allowing myself a one-day-freak-out, I shook it off and got focused.
Saturday morning I was up at 4:45, got dressed, ate a light breakfast and drove down to Fairfield to meet my teammates. We caravaned to the Marin Headlands side of the Golden Gate Bridge where we met up with our Sonoma/Napa counterparts. Unlike most of the times I've visited the GG Bridge, it was a fairly clear morning, only light winds and beautiful shining sun...it was breathtaking! Being with the TNT group always fills me with positivity just to be around a group of people whose sole purpose is to raise as much money as possible for the Leukemia & Lyphoma Society - it's awesome!
One of my walking buddies Gil and I set off and the course didn't disappoint. The changing scenery was so pretty and we had such great conversation the whole time that the 10 miles just flew by, and before we knew it, it was over. I still can't believe I did it, and now I feel so empowered! Moral of the story: fighting cancer is hard, walking 10 miles is EASY!
Now I know I'm going to be ready on October 14 and not only will I be ready, but I'm going to rock those 13.1 miles!
This week I shared my mom's story during our team "mission moment" - when we honor someone who has been affected by blood cancer or LLS in some way. It's a chance to remind us all why we are out there training, fundraising and working hard. It's the inspiration that drives us.
I requested to dedicate this week's training to my mom because it was held at Mare Island, a place that I frequented as a child growing up, and fittingly, it was almost always with my mom. She loved to exercise at this Vallejo waterfront, walking the length of it as we talked about anything and everything.
Here's what I shared with my team today:
I lost my mother Carina to lymphoma 7 years ago. She was diagnosed one month before my wedding day and I had no idea if she would be there to see me walk down the aisle on the most important day of my life. Thankfully, the universe gave me a break and she was released from the hospital less than a week to my wedding, after having undergone several weeks of aggressive chemotherapy. Her hair was very thin and she lost so much weight her dress had to be taken in at the last minute, but all that mattered was that she was there. And although she fought her hardest, she passed away 8 months later. When I became a mother for the first time, I found myself grieving all over again, for the grandmother my son would never have. It was at that point I knew that the best way for my son to know who she was, was to pass on the life lessons she taught me.
The most valuable lesson my mom taught me was to always lend a hand and help those less fortunate than ourselves; and that if you give to others, your reward will be tenfold. From a very early age I accompanied her as she volunteered at our church, soup kitchens, food banks, the library, and the hospital. I learned that giving was so much more rewarding than receiving, and that true integrity came not from what you do for yourself, but what you do for others.
I joined Team in Training to continue her legacy of giving, especially to those patients and families who have been affected by blood cancers. I hope that my efforts will give them the resources and support to continue fighting where my mom left off. I also hope that walking those 13 miles will honor my mother’s life, and that my two sons will now learn from my example, just as I learned from hers.
In addition to dedicating this week's training to my mom, all my teammates wore her picture pinned to their hat or shirt as they trained. It was an emotional but rewarding day. A big thank you to my Solano Team for the love and support!
I have to do a special shout outs post to the supporters who gave me donations directly so their names don't show up on my donor list - they are too awesome to go unrecognized!
Heartfelt thanks to the following:
Jesus Calpe
The Berry Family
Pie Comandante
Tessie Simpliciano
Carmen Villanueva
Jerry, Liza, Jerico & Justin Calpe
I am so proud to have family and friends like you in my life =)
Fundraising for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society has been an experience in itself. For the first time I'm asking people for money, and at first I struggled with that because it felt imposing, especially in today's economy. But then I realized that I'm not asking for myself, I am asking for people who are fighting for their lives, or have loved ones that are, and then I knew it was the right thing to do.
I have been blown away by the generosity of family, friends and former coworkers who have donated to this worthy cause. I am truly touched every time I receive a donation and it means so much to me. We are barraged by news and images of the hate, violence and evil that abounds out there and these tokens of generosity are evidence that there are still good people in the world and who are still willing to help others in need.
It also gives me a boost of confidence knowing that there are people who believe in me enough that they will support me in this endeavour. I am re-motivated by the constant love and support I've been receiving and I will do my very best to cross that finish line and make them all proud. My heartfelt thanks to all of you who have showed your support, I can't do it without you!
XOXO!
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The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society® (LLS) is a global leader in the fight against cancer. The LLS mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world, provides free information and support services, and is the voice for all blood cancer patients seeking access to quality, affordable, coordinated care. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is a 501(c)(3) organization, and all monetary donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by tax laws. Please check with your financial advisor if you have more questions.