New Year, New Challenge!

On September 13, 2009, I was one of nearly 4000 athletes to compete in the Nation's Triathlon in Washington, D.C. This Olympic distance triathlon consisted of a 1,500 meter swim in the Potomac River, a 40 kilometer bike ride on the Rock Creek Parkway and a 10 kilometer run around the Tidal Basin. It was an absolutely awesome race, and I was more than pleased with my finish time of 3:14:57.

Most importantly, I was one of 583 Team in Training participants who helped raise $2.4 million for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Through the generosity of so many friends and family, I personally raised $7,100 for this great organization!

As many of you know, I am already preparing for my next Team in Training event: St. Anthony's Triathlon in St. Petersburg, Florida on April 25th. For this event I am committed to raising $3500 for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. As always, I will be racing in honor of two special friends: Becky Easterday, who lost her 5 month battle with leukemia in 1992, and Michael Gass who is a five year survivor of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML).

For St. Anthony's, I have one more honored teammate. A close friend's father was recently diagnosed with myeloma. Myeloma is a cancer of the plasma cells, and it is estimated that nearly 21,000 Americans will be diagnosed with the disease this year. Having yet another friend diagnosed with a blood cancer renews my motivation to continue training hard, raising money and increasing awareness for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The Society's commitment to cutting-edge science has contributed to an unprecedented rise in survival rates for some blood cancers. And, in 2007, LLS made 5.1 million contacts with patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals, helping people find lifesaving and supportive information through every phase of their illness. I encourage you to join me in this effort by making a donation to my fundraising campaign.

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

Go Team!