Team in Training

Reflection

Sometimes when I'm running along a training path I don't think about the incremental steps that it takes to get to the end destination.  I'm often thinking about the finish line without much consideration to the 3,5,8,12 mile markers along the way.  It's not that I'm a destination seeker without consideration for the journey, I just know that my motivation revolves around setting goals and constantly trying to achieve them.

Recently, I started reflecting on some personal inflection points in my life and came to a quick realization.  A realization that should have been obvious 10 or 15 years ago but for some reason I continued to miss (or dismiss).

At various phases of my life, both past and present, blood cancers have impacted people close to me.  One of my sister's best friends (Nicki) growing up beat leukemia.  Two, yes TWO, of my high school basketball coaches as well.  One (Chuck Collins) lost his battle while the other (Greg Dommisse) continues to battle.  My wife's cousin as well.  And then there is my daughter's best friend's mom (Sara Winterhoff), whom our family has grown close with over the past 4-5 years.

I may be slow to the game.  But I'm here with a new goal in mind.  Each of these people have a different story and I hope to tell them all (and some others) over the next 5 months.

Action

After putting it all together I realized I wanted to do more.  I've run races before, but this one will be different.  I am running for a purpose, and the purpose is to raise money to support the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  I have been amazed already by my change in attitude and mental clarity that I have while going through my training runs.  My training runs used to be a way to clear my head of all the work and life problems that may be in the moment but as I start this new training team I find that my runs have a new purpose.  They each have a new kind of feeling and it is becoming addictive.  

I am running, and I am running for a cause.

Call to Action

As I mentioned previously, I don't take up challenges lightly and have set some aggressive goals for myself both for fundraising and personal challenges.  I have set a personal goal of less than 1:46 for the Richmond Half Marathon in November.  This will eclipse my personal records and I can already see this as being a significant challenge.

On the fundraising side my goal is $3000 this year.  If I make my goal I will commit to beating my 1:46 PR.  But I'm not stopping there.  I have been contemplating a few "escalation clauses" in my goals this year.  They are:

• Greater than $3,500 = 1 hr 44 minutes
• Greater than $4,000 = 1 hr 42 minutes

I may be crazy, but I'm doing it.

It takes more than one person to make up a team and that’s why I’m asking you to donate to my TNT fundraising page!  It is very easy to donate to this cause -- your donation is 100% tax deductible. You can donate by credit card securely on this Web site or mail a check made out to the "Leukemia and Lymphoma Society." Please reach out to me directly for my address if you would like to mail a donation check.

By participating as a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) TNT, I am raising funds to help find cures and ensure access to treatments for blood cancer patients.

Your donation will help fund treatments that save lives every day; like immnuotherapies that use a person’s own immune system to kill cancer. You may not know it, but every single donation helps save a life with breakthrough therapies such as these.

I will be tracking my progress on my personal blog (http://www.brianbischoff.com/tag/tnt/), containing some personal stories and a running log of my training.  Check it out and follow along as we strive to get us all closer to a world without blood cancers.

Thank you.

Brian