Hello! My running journey continues and ironically has become a little more challenging as I approach my race. My life has been crazy, insane, busy! Finding the time to run has been a little more complicated with the kids out of school for the summer and my work schedule of 1500-0330 shift makes me often choose between running and sleeping. I've struggled with hip and knee issues which has challenged my dedication and I am also in my final push for fundraising and I still have a long way to go!

I am still confident that I can do this! I often picture myself crossing the finish line and I fight a little to hold back tears. Thank you to each and every one of you that has helped and supported me on this journey.

Here is an exerpt from one of our team e-mails...

Welcome To Leukemia:

You never imagine that a trip to the Mary Bridge ER, with your 3-year-old who has "the flu", will turn out to be your worst nightmare. It seems unfathomable that, with one blood draw and within an hour's time, your world can be turned upside down. Welcome to Leukemia.

Instead of deciding which new toy to get him for Christmas, you're deciding whether or not to participate in a clinical study. Instead of scanning your favorite internet sites, you're updating his treatment page on thestatus.com. You've slept for a week on the too-short-fold-out-chair, can now snore through the hourly interruptions by the nurses and no longer remember a good hair day. Welcome to Leukemia.

Your precious toddler, who loves playdough and Disney, is suddenly receiving toxic drugs and blood transfusions. The premium you pay for health insurance becomes immediately "very reasonable". Welcome to Leukemia.

Celebrating a huge family Christmas is replaced with celebrating blood counts. Instead of Grandma's Norwegian Lefse, you're having hospital cafeteria salad bar (again). Welcome to Leukemia.

The squeamish mom, who would never have considered nursing as a profession, learns to flush PICC lines and administer drugs at home. You once looked forward to Amazon deliveries from the handsome UPS driver. Now you look forward to the institutional-looking home health services van, which is driven by a retired longshoreman. He's not bringing the latest Harry Potter book, but delivering dressing change kits, latex gloves, syringes and chemo. Welcome to Leukemia.

You meet other families during hospital stays and clinic visits and become familiar with their stories. You attend the funerals of their children, and feel your heart break for them, because they weren't in the 84%.

Welcome to Leukemia.

BUT ALSO:

Immediately, friends and family come to your side in the Emergency Room. They lift you, spiritually, in prayer, and physically, by holding your hand and letting you cry on their shoulder. They continue to show support by appearing at the hospital room door, with open arms, sushi dinner for mom and dad, and never-ending gifts for the newest gladiator on the 6th floor. Welcome to Leukemia.

Co-workers stock your freezer with Costco goods and have your house cleaned. Your employer reorganizes workloads, so that you can work remotely. Welcome to Leukemia.

Your child is allowed to eat, after being limited to fluids for three days. The nurse on the 6th floor doesn't care WHAT time it is. If this boy wants pancakes, the cafeteria WILL MAKE HIM PANCAKES NOW!

Welcome to Leukemia.

Angels in the form of pediatric oncologists, nurses, child life specialists and social workers become your extended family. They provide you with knowledge, support, patience (which truly surpasses all understanding) and confidence. That latte lady at the oncology clinic greets you with a smile every time and asks how your boy is doing. Welcome to Leukemia.

Medical research is being put to the test. Your son reaches remission and there is no longer any sign of it in his blood or bone marrow. Only three years of treatment to go. Welcome to Leukemia.

As things start to stabilize, you feel like you should be doing something more to battle this horrible cancer. So you join Team in Training to raise funds for research and get a little more in shape. You do raise funds and get in shape. You meet amazing people who have joined the cause for many different reasons, but all with the same goal: a cure. You run a marathon! The campaign coordinator steals your son's heart. You sign up for another TNT event. Welcome to Leukemia.

From one very grateful mom, to all of my teammates - thank you so much for your efforts!

Hi everyone! It has been awhile since my last post but I have been continuing on in my training. My long run this week was nearly 12 miles and took me just over 2 hours to complete. With the kids out of school for the summer and with my work schedule, getting my training in has been challenging. There have been a lot of days that I have had monotonous runs where I repeatedly run around the cul-de-sacs in our neighborhood... sometimes at nauseum for up to 2 hours. It has also been inspiring on these runs as my kids will usually join me for at least part of the time on their bikes. A few weeks ago my husband and children rode bikes to accompany me and last week several of the neighborhood kids joined in too... it had me feeling the the pied piper of fitness. :)

I am coming up on my recommitment time... the date in which I choose whether or not to continue on this fundraising and training journey. In case you were wondering I am choosing to continue. This has been such an amazing challenge and time of growth in my life and I can't wait until the Marathon in San Francisco. However, I still need your help... I have over $2,000 to raise to get me to that point! If you have any ideas on how I can do so, give me a shout or if you can spare even a few dollars to help me on this journey I'd greatly appreciate it as would anyone who has a loved one suffering with leukemia or lymphoma. Thanks so much and stay tuned for more updates!

Hi everyone! I just wanted to post an update to my page since it has been awhile. I am still training my heart out... each week I train for at least 5 out the 7 days. Some days I do cross training which for me usually consists of a Jillian Michaels' DVD. I have one 2 1/2 mile run that is just a nice, easy run each week. I usually have a tempo run which is 3 miles long; for the first and last mile I warm up and cool down. The middle mile is all sprinting and recovering and it is hard! Each week I also have a long run which has progressively gotten longer; this week's will be 8 miles!

My perspective on running has changed a lot since I started this journey. I have never, in my life, been a runner. I played soccer for a season in high school but that is about it for my running career. Now I enjoy scouting out a new course to take in as I run. I run past houses for sale to get a better feel of the neighborhood (we are always thinking about buying more real estate). I run in the rain, I run through the forest, I run by my kids' school. I am becoming a runner. Running is an amazing outlet and a wonderful workout. While there are still times that I have to talk myself into getting my run completed, I never regret doing it. Running is also helping me maintain my weight loss and, of course, it is improving my cardiovascular health!

Don't forget, I am running to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma society and I need your help!

I ran my first race, an 8k in Gig Harbor last Sunday. The name of the race was "To Hill and Back" and there were some massive hills on Cushman Trail. It was a very neat experience; being there with that race bib (or number) on, running with so many people.

8k is equal to 4.88 miles. I ran the entire time and finished in 46 minutes and 30 seconds. This counted as my long run for the week and was an awesome experience!

I did something many marathoners suggest all runners should do... I had my gait analyzed. I went to a running specialty store (yes, there is such a thing) in Gig Harbor. During my experience they watched my walk down a little track in the store several times and in several different styles of shoes. I also walked and ran on a treadmill while they made a video of my feet from behind. This video was played in slow motion and revealed that I have a "pretty good gait", I pronate a little on my right foot, a wide toe box, and I have a tendency to land hard. After all was said and done I decided on the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 11. I immediately tested them out on a 2.5 mile run on Cushman Trail. The shoes I purchased are white with blue accents but I hope to buy the style pictured above for my actual race... the Team in Training color is purple. :)