19 Janury 2010

Orlando (Home of the Mouse) experienced the coldest weather since the 1970s! The temperature on race morning was wait for it Drum roll please 26F yes that’s right 26 big one, with the wind chill it 11f BRRRRR.. (that is minus 2.2C with w/c of minus 11C for my Brit peeps). Thankfully I was well prepared and had brought many layers of “throwaway clothes†I wore 8 layers on top and 3 on the bottom. It was quite a sight to see myself and fellow (20,000) runners resembling a herd of Michelin men as we approached the start line! It was so cold that the water and Gatorade had ice forming! Great care had to be taken through the water stops because as participants were running by , grabbing a cup taking a sip or 5, then throwing down the remains which then became a nice slick area of ice… really... I found this out the hard way when at mile 12. ½ I did a graceful(not) pirouette and came down on my knees HARD after a quick check to make sure nothing was broken… I dusted myself of and continued (my knees were very badly bruised) and although I was hurting, there was not a time during the entire race where I felt I couldn’t complete it. There were times as I was running through this race where I thought about the names on the back of my shirt and cried a couple of times at the thought that 2 of the people that I run for are no longer with us, and for the others that are continuing to fight not just blood cancers but several other types and how each person I know has truly touched my life I learn from them daily,. The entire race I kept the same Mantra in my head “Chemo is harder then this†and as long as I am healthy enough to continue this quest I will. Another 26.2 miles completed. Final time 6:18:04

.I know that times have been difficult to say the least and so again, I thank each and every one of you for your continued support.

With much love,

Gillian

Ps.... the total amount raised to Leukemia Lymphoma society for this event was $5.4million!!!

18 December 2009

As I prepare for our 20 mile run tomorrow I keep this following in my mind:

…

I just received the below post from one of our honored team mates blog.

Just to fill you Andres Luciano was just one year old when it was discovered that he had low platelets. For months his doctors searched for the reason for his low platelets and although his Dr's were very confident that it was not Cancer but a Bone Marrow Disorder unfortunately, after many months of painful testing and procedures, On February 19, 2008 Andres was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. It is still the mystery whether the cancer was always there but just hiding or his bone marrow disorder turned into Leukemia. Andres was responding great to treatment but because of the type of Leukemia he was it was necessary for him to have a bone marrow transplant...Here is the latest post from his mother…

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2009 12:38 PM, CST

Hi everyone

I have been avoiding this post for a while. I have gotten so many phone calls I dont know where to begin. On Thanksgiving Day Andres started chemo that was so strong that his Dr's said would potentially throw his organs over the edge but was his best chance for survival if we wanted to pursue another transplant and get him back in remission. We decided to give him the chemo . After all he is strong. His organs look great, his heart function is perfect. It was definitely worth a shot to go all the way, he withstood the chemo great and was up and running around like nothing. But days later his marrow showed that his cancer was still there. At this point there is nothing more we can do. They are sending us home on hospice care. The thought of him not being in our lives is unimaginable. My heart is broken and I try to make sense of all of this and I just can't understand.

He has spent so much of his short life in a hospital. I have been dreaming of the day he could enjoy life like all other children and that day will not come now. The day he would be able to play with other children and start Kindergarten and i think that is most upsetting. he never had a chance at life. Never enjoyed things that children his age enjoy everyday. We take those things for granted not realizing how special they really are.

Please keep Andres and his family in your thoughts and prayers and know that your donations have helped thus far and will go to further research to find a cure for this awful disease. No child or parent should have to go through this.....

Once again, thank you to each and everyone of you for your generous donations.

Gillian

12 December 2009

Well the marathon is only 28 days away! Can you believe it!! I have been training hard and completed an 18.75 run last weekend. Thankfully we had a bit of a break with only an 8 miler thismorning (I was able to have a bit of a sleep in alarm went off at 5am! and yes I did say only 8 !!! ). Next Saturday I will be getting out of bed as some of you are coming home 3am.. 20 mile run begins at 4am!! So please have a beer for me on Friday night!

This training season I have run over 325 miles and by the time the race comes it will be over 400!!!! Crazy stuff!!!

I have been amazed at your generosity in these difficult times. Thank you all for your support over the past 18 months. I have been to reach my goal and then some!

I wish all of you a very Happy Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, Festivus and wonderful and healthy 2010.. who knows maybe one of you will accompany me in my next race!! I am not sure which one it will be, so I am open to suggestions!!

Next update after the race January 10, 2010!!

8 October 2009

I am now in the "thick" of things... Running 3 days spinnning 2 times and a quick yoga class to make sure that I can touch my toes! A sleep in is now 7am.. who would have thought it! The days of sleeping till noon are long gone as most days start at 5am or so!

It is funny how the body adjusts to the challenges put to it.... I mean really who would have thought that I ... the smoking, drinking, couch potato that I was 16 months ago.. would have become this crazy running fool that craves a run instead of a cigarette when the going gets tough. Now, while I may say... it's only 8 or 10 miles.... the truth is hell yes it hurts and no it is not easy and yes at times exhausting , the one thing in my mind that keeps me going is the saying on the back of all of my team mates shirts...... if you think training for a marathon is tough then try chemothereapy.......

I thank each and everyone of you for your continued support,

***********************************************************

ONE MORE TIME.... at least that is what I am saying from now, but we all know that I'll be running again and again until a cure can be found.............

This time I am going to be running the 2010 Walt Disney World Full Marathon.........as a mentor 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!