Team Katy "Tri's" Again

Team Katy "Tri's" Again

Yep, I'm at it again with another triathlon. This time I'll be doing the Pacific Grove Triathlon in the Monterrey Bay area.

This race is significant because it is my first event with the Silicon Valley Team in Training group and it will be the first triathlon Eric and I will be training and competing in together!

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!

Week 3

Week 3 flew by too. We are learning a lot of basics. Did you know 85 rpms is the optimum running cadence? I didn't, but I'm learning all about improving my form. It is amazing how much it helps. It sure does feel silly at first, but I know it will shave a ton of time off my run in the end. Today Eric and I will head to the pool to do a 1700 meter workout. That is 200 more meters than the race. I still can't believe I couldn't swim before starting my training for the last triathlon. I sure do enjoy swimming now, though!

Biking is my least favorite discipline. Unfortunately it is also the longest part of the triathlon. One thing is for sure, there is no place more bike-friendly or gorgeous than where we live in Northern California. I am so glad to have so many great biking opportunities here and riders supporting me. I know I will improve a ton. I'm already quite comfortable with my clipless shoes and look forward to getting comfortable in the optimum biking cadence--85 rpm as well.

Week 1 and 2

I feel a bit behind because Eric's ordination happened during this week. I just wrote my fundraising letter and am working on getting some mailed out. Here's the letter.

Greetings!

Team Katy “Tri’s†Again. I’m participating in another Team in Training event. This time, I’m training for the Pacific Grove Triathlon in Monterey Bay in September. The Silicon Valley Triathlon Team is amazing. We have over 100 participants, 5 coaches, several training captains, fundraising mentors, and staff. I think the ratio is 4:1-support people to participants. It is awesome. Eric is participating too!

So, why should you support this cause yet another time? Just as the economy is hurting a lot of businesses, Team in Training and LLS donations, especially from large financial institutions, are suffering too. Still 100% of your donation is tax deductible and at least 75% will go directly to the LLS’s causes.

When Eric was first diagnosed, we were so grateful for the LLS’s help. We received financial assistance for Gleevec, Eric’s chemo. We were able to receive accurate information about his specific kind of leukemia, CML. This was super-helpful because after “googling†about CML the outlook was bleak—but thanks to people supporting the LLS and Team in Training Gleevec was funded and greatly improved the prognosis of CML.

Being so involved with Team in Training we are surrounded by lots of other Honored Teammates. These are people that cheer our team on and support us throughout the training and event. More importantly, they are blood cancer patients and survivors. One of our honorees is Mike Kennedy. He was just diagnosed with CLL. CLL currently has no proven treatments. Essentially with CLL your body starts producing abnormal and ineffective white blood cells. Steadily your white blood cell count grows until your body starts to shut down. Mike is braving his new diagnosis by participating in his first triathlon—he’s really nervous about the run. So realize that you are supporting way more people than just Eric and me in this endeavor. By continuing to fundraise for the cause we are hoping that very soon a treatment, like Gleevec, will be available for Mike and other CLL patients.

Another brave honored teammate I’d like to share with you is Madeline. She is the daughter of one of Eric’s dad’s co-workers. She was diagnosed with CML right before her 13th birthday. She is near and dear to us because we are able to share insights into how Eric gets past his nausea, bone pain, fatigue and other side affects. We’re able to provide hope to her and her family in the very chaotic time right after diagnosis.

Please donate to my fundraising page or by sending a check made out to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to me. If you want to include an encouraging note for Mike or Madeline, I’ll make sure it makes to them! http://pages.teamintraining.org/sj/pactri09/krobinson_LTN4

Much love and here’s to doubling the $3,300 fundraising goal I need to reach by July 8, 2009.

Katy and Eric Robinson