Racing to Save Lives

Welcome to my Team In Training home page.

I'm training to participate in an endurance 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 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!

Will you join me in supporting The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society? On May 24th (my sister Avi's birthday!), I will be running the Vermont City Marathon with Team in Training (TNT). I was inspired to do this by my niece Kristen Johnson ( 2 marathons with TNT), the memory of my Mom and Pauline, and in honor of my local team hero Mason Snider.

I like running; it helps keep me healthy. I've run several half marathons, but never a full marathon. Running one with TNT seems manageable, unlike running from appointment to appointment trying to manage a disease like leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma. Working as a team makes training for the race possible for me, fundraising as a team might eventually make more cures possible for all of us.

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!

5/25/09 Finished!!!!!! Thanks to everyone for your support!!! This was quite an amazing event. We ran through rain at the start, harder rain in the middle (which kept us cool but got our feet wet) , and then sun for the finish. The sun made the day a lot more pleasant for families and friends, but a bit harder for the runners. I got to run with Jay Mageria (who can run a marathon in his sleep and was running to support a first-time marathoner...go Amy!), and his friend John, another multi-marathoner; he was along for the fun of it. So they chatted and told jokes and traded insults while Amy and I concentrated on finishing the race. Jerry rode around on his bike giving us encouragement and bringing Amy dry socks. Jay's wife Kathy took tons of photos at strategic moments. Kathy's run this marathon before and will again someday I'm sure.

Then for a while I ran with another TNT participant from the Albany group. Stacey had been sick during the training and had only finished 14 miles. She managed 22 yesterday despite nausea and exhaustion but got pulled out because of an irregular heartbeat. She really wanted to finish, but 22 miles was already a huge accomplishment and the TNT coach was adamant that she stop. After that I ran with Jay and Amy again, while John ran ahead to get the darn thing over with!

At the finish, I got to see my Dad, Luce, Rebi and Pat, talk with Avi (the birthday girl) on the phone, saw Jamie and Trish, but missed seeing my girlfriends. (Marshia, MaryBeth, Beth, and Lisa had wanted to surpise me, but we never saw each other. They had a good time anyway, so they said!) Rebi, Pat, Jerry and I had a victory beer at the waterfront and that was that.

An epic event. Thanks again from the bottom of my heart.

Now.....in case you'd like to do more...my training partner Trish Myatt is still fund-raising for San Diego. her web page is http://pages.teamintraining.org/uny/rnr09/tmyatt

If you know of someone in your circles of friends who might help Trish out, feel free to pass this on.

Over and out,

Holly

5/19/09: Just a few more days and then the race. On Saturday Jamie, Trish and I ran the final long run, an 8 miler around the hills of Peru. When we started there was snow on the ground and now we're running through drifts of apple blossoms! I'm as ready as I'll ever be, and am deeply, deeply grateful for my family and friends. I feel as though you've all been right there with me. Special thanks to folks who sent in the last donations to get me to the fundraising goal: My sisters, disguised as Mole and Troll, (Avi, Rebi, Ruth, and of course Shantel) Patricia Miranda, Karen Volkman, Elin O'Hara-Gonya, Ann Arnold, Michelle Toth, and Al Mihalek.

The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society sent a recent email message that I wanted to share with you, as your contributions make these advances possible.

"Since its founding in 1949, LLS has invested more than $600 million in blood cancer research. We fund more blood cancer research than all other voluntary health agencies.

An LLS-funded researcher developed Gleevec, a pill for Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML). Now, more than 95 percent of newly diagnosed CML patients survive more than five years with a good quality of life. LLS was also instrumental in the development of Velcade, a targeted treatment approved for patients with multiple myeloma and mantle cell lymphoma."

Once again, thanks for participating in this with me.

5/10/09: Wow, 2 weeks since I've logged in my report. First, I went to my high altitute training in Albuquerque N.M. ( for the library instruction LOEX conference) , 5000 ft above sea level, my home sea level is about zero! Could not run my 12 miles, did 3 one day and 4 the next. Just could not breathe or run! Did have a great time seeing Alison, and hanging out with Bob and Sushmita a bit. Learned a lot for my work. Then yesterday, running 15 miles with Jamie, heading into the last 5 miles I was hit with pain in my left knee! Oh man! Jerry looked it up, certainly it's ITB, - iliotibial band syndrome . So, ice, stretching, rest...then back on the road. Race is coming up soon, so I need to be ready.

Many thanks to the Romeo Family, Tim Hartnett, Tracey Orkin, and Anne De la Chapelle for your contributions and support.

4/27/09: Cool/overcast day for the long run this weekend. A 12 miler for Jamie and me, 18 for Trish. We did lots of hills running on the back roads of Peru. After the run TNT held a bake sale, raising awareness and $$ for the society, getting lots of encouragement from all the shoppers who stopped by. Special thanks to my colleagues who participated in the gift card raffle (Mila won!), and Chantale Audet at the YMCA.

4/20/09: Read about an amazing walk by Jigme Norbu. Here is the news report from http://www.montereyherald.com/ci_12177402

"The Dalai Lama's nephew has finished a 900-mile walk across America to protest what he calls Chinese suppression of Tibetans.

After the four-week trek from Indiana to New York, Jigme Norbu's feet were full of painful blisters and were missing nails and the feeling in one toe. "But I feel energized, because the cause itself energizes me," Norbu said Saturday, a day after emerging from New Jersey through the Lincoln Tunnel. Norbu started his walk in Indianapolis on March 10, marking the 50th anniversary of a failed Tibetan rebellion against Chinese rule that resulted in the exile of the Dalai Lama over the Himalayas into India. "

Ok, so I ran 18 miles yesterday. I took some rest stops, had snacks and drinks, my running partners to chat with, even stopped briefly at my neighbors yard sale (Thanks Gina and Wally!) to use the restroom. It wasn't easy, my feet hurt, my left knee had some painful twinges, my thoughts strayed from a motivated purposeful mode to a "why again am I doing this?" mode...but I just kept going back to Mr. Nornu's comment. "But I feel energized, because the cause itself energizes me"

I don't know what impact his 900 mile walk will have, but the impact of my 26.2 mile run is clear. Better options, treatments, and family support for people with leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. That energizes me.

My sincere thanks this week to Aunt Jackie and Uncle Julie, and Chris Mullen for their wonderful contributions to this cause.

4/11/09: Easter weekend, sunny and cool. Fueled up on Friday with a great Seder with our neighbors and ran on Saturday, so we could enjoy the family celebrations on Sunday. 12 miles for me, 16 for Trish, and Jamie was home with pneumonia. On a 12 mile run you chat about lots of stuff (except while out of breath running uphill), so in fact I am really getting to know Trish and Jamie pretty well! Still 6 weeks to go, no injuries, training on schedule, fundraising getting closer...it's all good. My thanks to Apple Blossom Florist, Uncle Roger in the Big Apple, Carol, Patty, and Gina at work, and Donna Hackett from the YMCA for wonderful donations this week.

4/4/09: Another Saturday long run (16 miles), this time in drizzle. It actually worked well to keep us cooled off, but we were hoping not to get drenched. Trish ran ahead to finish her 10 and the Jamie and I did the last 6 at a slower pace. I must say the last few miles I did weren't so much a run as a sluggish forward motion...nothing to brag about that's for sure. I'm trusting in the TNT training program, they say I'll be able to do 26.2 if I stay on this schedule...

Thanks to Sandy Rascoe for her donation and encouragement, and to all my colleagues who are planning to bake something for the sale on the 11th!

3/28/09: We ran on Saturday, as that fit better in the schedules and tomorrow is supposed to be a steady rain. Today was beautiful, great temp and sunny! Only 10 miles for me this time, still felt like a challenge, especially up the hills. Thanks to Ona and Jeff, Dad, and Mary and George Hoffman for donations this week. I also started the Borders gift card raffle at work, thanks to Patty for buying the first ticket and donating the roll of tickets.

3/23/09: Longest run so far yesterday morning (14 miles) and I'm very grateful for Jamie and Trish, for snacks and company. I really don't think I would run that far on my own. I wanted to stop at mile 5 and at mile 10 and mile 13!!!

Sadly, I then spent the afternoon sitting with Gene Arnold and family saying goodbye. He passed away this morning. He wasn't in pain, wasn't alone, and I believe is now very happy. The sorrow is for us and for Ann and Charlie and Amie, Gene is at peace. Thanks to Rebi for staying overnight so Charlie would have family with him and the rest of us could get some sleep.

I want to thank Marshia and Susan for donations, and Uncle Roger for the phone call this week, and my son Ravi for his good advice about breaking in my new sneakers!

3/15/09: The Ides of March! Ran my 10 miles by myself earlier than the group meeting so I could be home in the afternoon to hang out with Butch and Shantel. I did a 7 mile loop, then got some water at home and did the last three. We had a pizza party and everyone (Mila, Butch, and Shantel) helped clip brush in the back yard. Beautiful day in the high 40's! Have a few more toe blisters, but otherwise the training is going just fine.

3/9/09: Nice and slow long run around Peru yesterday (12 miles) with Jamie. The rest of the group was busy/out-of-town/or ran on Saturday. We did a 6 mile loop, stopped for drinks and to rest a bit, then another 6 mile loop. Saw some ducks and a flock of chickens! I've got a nasty cold that got worse during the rest of the day, taking it easy now. Thanks for all the support so far, including donations from Mary and Tom Armstrong, Nancy Hoshlyk, Anne Marie Spear, and Janet Lichtensteiger-Kelly.

3/1/09: First day of March, and a cool day for the long run (8 miles). We did a route in Peru for a change, and not too many hills! Only one blister so far. Thanks to my Dad for the newspaper clipping about the Florida woman training for a run across the Sahara, thanks to Scott Utley for the encouraging phone call, thanks to Lisa D for her generous donation, also to Cheri and Lee, and Danny White at Adirondack Molding.

2/22/09: Today's long run was inside at the YMCA, the outside group run was cancelled because of expected snow. It was not as much fun as trying to catch up with Jamie and Trish, and I did take some water breaks. Thanks to Leisa and Kim, Penny and Stubby, Darlene and Rick, Janine, Lisa and Marybeth for donations this week.

2/15/09: 2nd long run was a bit harder, maybe because I donated blood on Monday? Anyhow, I made my 7 mile distance, but it was pretty slow. By next Sunday's 10 miles I should be fully recovered. Thanks for all the donations so far, including Lawrence Shanley from Peru Pharmacy , Butch Morgan, and Alison!

2/9/09: The first run was super and a good challenge for me. After a review of training and some fundraising tips we did 9 miles at a nice pace. My mentor Jamie was great to run with as she just chatted along and kept my mind off my pounding feet! Thanks for donations from Debra, Natalie, Pat Miranda, Avi, Ruth and Pat.

2/8/09: getting ready for my first group run, 1:30 today at the U.S. Oval. I'm a bit nervous, hoping I can keep up with the other folks! Lovely weather today...about 35 F and a light drizzle. It's sure better than 10 below zero!