“Before you start, you see all the obstacles in front of you.

You see all the possible barriers and potential failures.

All the reasons not to try.

Before you start, you lack momentum.

You lack the early wins and inspired feelings that can keep you going when going gets hard.

You lack experience and confidence.

But starting is where the magic is.

It’s where the dream is fresh.

It’s where the vision is unscathed.

It’s where you get the joy of discovering you can.

There are no risk-free days.

But when you live life avoiding risks, you also avoid pleasure.

You don’t experience the exhilaration of the single run because you’re afraid you might not make it for the full day. Afraid you might look like a wuss.

Afraid people will judge you.

And they will.

But you’re already doing it to yourself.

When you choose not to go out and do what you love because you fear what might happen, you are judging yourself to be weak.

And you’re not.

You can handle whatever happens.

You can manage the pain. You can face the disappointment.

You are strong.

So tell your fears to kiss your ass.

Go out and cross the starting line, regardless.

Don’t worry about the finish until you get there."

(* Words by Christy Lambert @ http://www.inspiredrunning.com (pictures borrowed from fellow teamates)

It's hard to believe I am only a few weeks away from the end of this journey. I am so so grateful to each and every one of you who has donated to my run and offered encouragement throughout the past few months. This is my last week to take any donations, and because I've met my goal, 100% will go directly to the Leukemia And Lymphoma Society. I would love to finish strong this week, like I will on April 28th when I complete my first half-marathon!!

I've been running with Team In Training for a few months now. I've run farther than I ever thought I could, and have raised almost $500 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. I am blown away by the people I meet each week and have slowly realized that it's not about me. I've heard from teammates that have lost a parent or a close friend, one whose grandmother was recently diagnosed, and one whose wife passed away last year. And don't even get me started on my coach, who is a survivor, and is out there encouraging us every weekend and throughout the week.

While you would think that all of these people would be caught up in their grief, I am astounded by the amount of gratitude they have shown to all of us. They too realize it's not only about their personal story, but the team as a whole. How every Saturday morning at 7am when we make the decision to run, it's one more example of people wanting to make a difference. It's not about how fast we are running or how much we've raised, but the people whose lives our decisions now will help later on. Because eventually cancer is going to affect us all. It's just a matter of when. So my question to you is whose team do you want to be on when that time comes? I've made mine. The team that decides to not sit around and mope, but to fight back and take charge, grateful for the opportunity.

Teams are made up of individuals. Without them, there is no team.

Welcome to my Team In Training home page.

In April, I will be running my first half marathon here in Nashville! While I am excited to be training and completing this goal of mine, I have decided to run with a purpose. I am currently fundraising for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society with Team In Training. This past weekend I ran 6.5 miles for the first time ever! It was a great accomplishment for me, but I definitely could not have done it alone. My team members have been so encouraging and meeting those who have been affected by cancer has given this commitment a whole new meaning.

My personal goal is to raise $1200 by April. While this seems like a huge amount, I know that I can reach this goal with your help. Just like my training runs, every little bit counts. The money raised through TNT will enable LLS to help advance new treatments and cures for leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma, and provide critical education and support to patients and their families. I will be running in memory of my grandma, Gloria Storer, who had non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

My roommates and I have also started a blog, JavaJoggers.blogspot.com to keep our friends and family updated throughout the coming months.

Thank you for joining me on this journey, and for helping give cancer a kick in the pants!

Danielle