You don't learn to hold your own in the world by standing on guard, but by attacking, and getting well-hammered yourself. -- George Bernard Shaw

It’s amazing. 5 more weeks of training to go and then the event! I am equal parts of super-excited and nervous as mess. Questions always circle in my head – am I ready? Can I do this? What the hell was I thinking!? And then I train. I train alone. I train with my team. I train in water, on a bike and in sneakers, in the sun and in the rain, in the cold and the warm. I train when I feel great, when I am sick and when I have a million things on my to-do list or when I simply would rather be at home eating Mike & Ikes and watching a movie. Despite everything that is going on in my life – I train. And I feel strong. It is amazing.

This last weekend was an incredible journey for me. Saturday I missed our coached workout which was ultimately cancelled because of snow (snow!) on Mt. Tamalpais - the mountain we were meant to be cycling and running. So I went out running in the rain with Ginger, Meena’s dog, who was less than impressed at the running in the rain (admittedly as was I at the start, but then I relaxed and loved it!). We ran almost 4 miles in the pouring down rain, and I marveled at the beauty and quiet of my lovely city which gave me so many wonderful opportunities to run and have lovely scenery along the way.

Sunday, however, was a real breakthrough. Our coached workout consisted of a 70 minute pool swim (with coaching and drills), followed by a 26.5 mile cycle ride up Marin’s second highest peak – Big Rock. It is approximately 500-550’ in elevation gain up the side of a mountain full of switchbacks and tough climbing. My legs were screaming, as was my mind. Trudging along slowly, I made it to the top. It was an amazing feeling. We scooted down the backside of the mountain to turn around a George Lucas’ ranch. Proud and beaming my teammates and I celebrated our accomplishment. What I learned, however, is that I need to trust myself. Trust that I CAN. I can do this race, I can complete it and I can be successful.

And I CAN raise $4,900 to help those who are suffering from blood cancers – and you can help me in reaching my goal. I have committed to raising this amount – it is hard and fast. If I cannot raise it from donors, such as you, I pay the difference. So please, consider helping me. As outlined below, over 75% of your donation to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society goes DIRECTLY to helping those who have cancer – either through research, patient services or education. This is far more direct benefit than most charities. And Team in Training is LLS’ main source of income. So many patients rely on people, like me, raising money in order to help them. Many of their lives are saved and/or prolonged as a direct result of fundraising funding research. It is amazing.

So please, please, please - as my fundraising deadline fast approaches, please donate to LLS through my website and help me find a cure for cancer - all the way to the finish line at Lavaman!

With love and gratitude,

Sarah

To all my amazing donors - THANK YOU!!

We are getting closer to the triathlon and the training continues to ramp up. I am now swimming more than I have ever swum in my life – upwards of 3000 meters, or 1.85 miles! I am also cycling stronger and running further than I have ever done – including a 6.8 mile run this last weekend. I have been really under the weather but hear the words of my coach in my head and am reminded how my illness and suffering is temporary compared to those who are living with and being treated for blood cancers. Last weekend I rode with one of our honoree team members who is currently in remission and who amazed me with her strength. I rode with her for 25 miles, intermittently chatting about her life and our ride. It was inspiring.

But as the triathlon is approaching and I am becoming stronger, there is still a TON of fundraising that I need to complete. I have committed myself to raising $4,900 to help the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society do research and provide treatment and services to those in need. So here I am. In need of YOUR help. Please consider donating. If you have already, please encourage some of your friends to help me help LLS help those who need our help. Every amount – regardless of how much – helps me reach my goal of helping find a cure to blood cancers. Thank you!

With love and gratitude,

Sarah

For the last few weeks, training has continued and is beginning to ramp up as we approach the Lavaman triathlon. I am getting excited, yet nervous. My running is increasing and I feel more comfortable in all aspects of the event – although doing bricks (back-to-back swim-bike or bike-run, etc) are still difficult for me.

In an effort to ensure my readiness for Lavaman, I signed up for a shorter distance triathlon for the last weekend in February – the Stanford Treeathon. I did it last year as my first tri, so I am looking forward to doing it with several of my this year.

In the meantime, the mission remains the same. I have committed myself to raising $4,900 and I am beginning to feel the pressure to meet my fundraising goals. Each time I meet one of our honoree team members who are currently undergoing treatment or who are in remission and I am amazed at the perseverance and vigor for which each on of them lives their life. At practice this morning we met an honoree who is a husband and father to two lovely children. He was diagnosed with Stage 4 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hodgkin's_lymphoma) after feeling like he had a cold for several weeks. He explained his treatment and the effects it had on himself and his new wife. He is almost 5 years in remission, due in part to his medical provider at Stanford who was there on a grant from LLS – a DIRECT result of Team in Training providing funding. He was similarly able to receive medication and information which was instrumental in his understanding of the cancer and his ability to receive and cope with the treatment. I am amazed how each dollar that I am able to raise provides such necessary services and research to those whose lives are upended by something as horrific as a blood cancer.

So please, please donate to this honorable and worthy endeavor. I will do the swim, the bike and the run. And I will do it with happiness and all of my donors, honorees and friends in my heart. And you, through your donation, will help so many people who are in a difficult and challenging part of their life - dealing with cancer.

With love, awe and gratitude,

Sarah

First and foremost – my apologies as I have not had the time to update my page in a while, despite my best intentions. It has been a challenge to find time to work, train, fundraise and maintain a personal life as well. It’s a great thing that I love all the training!

Week 10 of our training has come and gone. I have recommitted to my training and to Team in Training, as well as to fundraising at least $4,900.00 to help fund research and patient care for those who are battling blood cancers. This week we met one of our honoree team members who braved the 50-degree waters of the SF Bay to swim with us, and share his story. I am constantly amazed by our honorees and my teammates who have personal ties to individuals living with blood cancers. It reaffirms my faith in what I am doing, and – more importantly – WHY I am doing this. Let’s face it – I could go off on my own and train for a triathlon. I have done it before. But training for such a worthwhile cause really brings the training – all the effort and the challenges – into a new light, a new perspective.

So I run. I run at 6:30 in the morning, or 7:30 at night. I cycle on overcast 47-degree mornings. I even swim in 50-degree water (http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150165189289546&oid=159259060765707). And each time, I emerge with teammates turned friends, further resolved in my desire to help find an end to cancer. And each time, I know that together, as a team, we can do it.

With love and gratitude,

Sarah