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Racing to Save Lives

**10/07/09 UPDATE**

1.5 weeks until the race! I just ran 3+ miles today - the longest I've run since August 29th. I've finally recovered enough from my illness to be able to sustain cardio activity for more than 15 minutes! And while my ankle is not mending up quite the way I'd like it to, my physical therapist thinks I can race without doing further damage to it. So clearly this won't be my best half marathon ever (although it will be my first), but hopefully I will cross the finish line one way or another!

Thank you so much to everybody who has helped me surpass my fundraising minimum! I am blown away by the generosity of so many people, from good friends and family to people I hardly know. You all are truly inspiring! (I've gotten hopelessly behind on my thank you notes, but I hope to catch up soon now that I am somewhat healthy!)

**9/24/09 UPDATE**

This Saturday I plan to go on my first run/walk since spraining my ankle one month ago. My physical therapist has informed me that my body has "structural problems" which likely contributed to/caused my injury. So that's fun. I'm looking forward to getting back outside though! The walls of the gym are closing in. Now if only September would start to deliver the nice weather that I've heard so much about...

PS I feel like such a slacker, no running for a month just because of a sprained ankle. I guess those ligaments just don't heal like they used to. But, at least it's not cancer! And for that I am grateful. Help save a life!

**9/10/09 UPDATE**

Well, it's official. My ankle "acting up" is actually a sprain, and I have been relegated to the gym for cross-training for nearly two weeks now. However, I have learned that spin classes and water running can be even more exhausting than a leisurely 6 mile jog! I'm working hard to still be ready for my race!

**8/29/09 UPDATE**

Today my goal was 7 miles - more than half the distance of the race! And the run was gorgeous - from Fort Baker through Sausalito and back in the most phenomenal weather we've had in months. Unfortunately my body didn't cooperate - my ankle acted up and caused me to walk nearly half the distance. This is a very frustrating setback for me, but it's nothing compared to what leukemia and lymphoma patients must go through on a routine basis.

**8/24/09 UPDATE**

Enjoyed a fabulous run along the Embarcadero to Fort Mason this evening! When did 5 miles become easy?!

**8/19/09 UPDATE - NEW FUNDRAISING OPPORTUNITY**

I just arranged a fundraising effort with one of my very favorite eco-friendly companies - Twisted Limb Paperworks. If you purchase one of their select fundraising products online through this web page, 25% of the order price will be donated to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. If you live in the Bay Area or will be seeing me in the near future, you can order directly from me (aaw105@yahoo.com) and 40% of the order price will go to LLS. You can't beat that!

Twisted Limb Paperworks offers handmade paper as well as 100% PCW paper. They also do a lot of other eco-friendly things around their business - learn more at their website.

The fundraising products include bookmarks that make great gifts, stationery bundles that make great gifts or present beautiful notes fto your friends and family, and bits and pieces bags that are fabulous for scrapbooking and other art projects. I used Twisted Limb paper products for my wedding and continue to use bits and pieces for other craft projects. This is a phenomenal company to support! After you order fundraising products, be sure to check out their entire selection as well, especially if you have events coming up in your life.

**8/15/09 UPDATE**

I ran 6 miles yesterday up some massive hills along the coast - Golden Gate Park through Lands End and Sea Cliff neighborhood and back. Absolutely beautiful and really not all that hard!! (I may have walked partially up a couple staircases...)

I signed up for this because I wanted to exercise with a goal and I knew I would never do it by myself. But since starting a few people have told me about their personal connection to the cause, and now I'm beginning to realize that although I might have signed up for selfish reasons, I (and all of you who are donating) am really doing something to help people.

Seeing some of the honorees out there running with us, even as one of them undergoes treatment, is powerfully inspiring! So remember, it's not just me you are supporting - it's the thousands of patients out there with blood cancer.

Thanks!

**8/8/09 UPDATE**

2 weeks into the training, I've already gone from 0 to 5.5 miles! I'm well on my way for mileage - 40% of the race length, and over 50% of the max distance pre-race! Now I just need to speed up my fundraising as well!

**In The Beginning**

Guess what?!

I've signed up to run my very first half marathon (that's 13.1 miles!)- in fact my first race of any kind! And I'm training for the event 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's 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. All funds are tax deductible and your donation will not only go to research but also to patient services for the over 823,000 Americans living with leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. They really need our help.

Every dollar counts!!!! Here are some suggestions for donation amounts:

$1 for each Mile .................$13.10

$2 for each Mile .................$26.20

$5 for each Mile..................$65.50

$10 for each Mile................$131.00

If you donate $100 or more, I will send you a special thank-you gift.

Here's what your money can fund:

$1000....one week's salary for a researcher who might help develop a cure for blood cancer

$500...one year's financial assistance for a blood cancer patient to help with transportation and co-pays

$200...one family support group meeting of 9-15 participants

$150...allows five patients to make a First Connection with a trained peer volunteer

$100...provides three patients access to an information teleconference

$50...covers the cost of a CT scan

$35...covers the cost of transportation for a cancer patient in a rural area to a comprehensive cancer center

$25...covers a single prescription copayment

$5...covers the cost of sending a newly diagnosed patient information about support and their disease

You might also consider joining Team in Training yourself!

I will be running the San Francisco Nike Women's Half Marathon on October 18th. I really appreciate your support - both financial and moral. And if things go well, I might even extend my training for a full marathon in December.

I hope you will visit my web site often. Be sure to check back frequently to see my progress. Thanks for your support!

(If you would like to donate by check, please contact me at aaw105@yahoo.com.)