My Fundraising Page

Running to Save Lives

I have reached my financial goal of $4,000 - THANK YOU SO much! :) You all are the BEST!!

(scroll down to see updates)

I'm training to participate in an endurance event as a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team In Training. I will be running a half-marathon in October with several of my college friends (along with 20,000 other women!)

All of us on Team In Training are raising funds to help stop leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma from taking more lives.

I am completing this event in memory of a good friend's father, Mordechai Dror, who passed away from terminal gall bladder cancer 3 years ago. And I am also running in honor of two patients: Tony, a 13 year old who has been in remission for 10 years and Sandy, a wife and mother of four from our church who was just diagnosed with leukemia in June. Even as the training becomes more vigorous, I'm reminded how little it is compared to what Tony and Sandy have gone through - fighting for their lives. These people are the real heroes on our team, and we need your support to cross the ultimate finish line - a cure!

Please make a donation to support my participation in Team In Training and help advance LLS's mission.

Be sure to check back frequently to see my progress; I will post updates below, and you can also view the blog my college friends have set up: www.nikejournal.blogspot.com. Thanks so much for your support! There is no way I could do this without you!

**********

Update - Saturday, June 28

Today was my first group run! Yeah! :) I met several other partipants, one of which I ran the 5 miles with this morning. It was great to have a running partner! Makes the run that much faster - even in the downpour that happened most of the run (cooled us right off!) And the coach was fabulous - answered all of my "beginning runner questions". It's all very encouraging, until I heard I was the only 1/2 marathon runner, so Coach is having me run the full marathon schedule for the long runs (up to 12 miles) Yikes!! He'll get me ready for sure. :)

What a great group of people! I'm looking forward to running many, many miles with them over the next few months!!!

**********

Update - Thursday, July 10

Well, I feel like I'm constantly running! :) Daily running has become a given in my schedule (although it doesn't feel "normal" yet :) This week I will have run 17 miles by Saturday - without much pain - praise God!! I've had two group runs now - a 5 and 6 miler - both have been great! Unfortunately, I will be out of town for the next 3 Saturdays, so my long runs are on my own. As a beginning runner, I am a little nervous about that! Trying to take it a day at a time so I don't become overwhelmed.

I want to THANK ALL OF YOU who have supported me so far!!! I LOVE reading your comments too - they inspire me beyond words. That's what keeps me going on these 3-4 mile runs each day. You guys are the best!!

**********

Update - Friday, July 18

So, I've made it to 8 miles! Yeehaw! Last week I ran 7 miles with Kathryn, my sister, in her new hometown of Beaver Falls, PA. While I ran, she biked beside me; I tell you what, it was not a "bike-friendly" ride! I think she was off and on the bike more than 10 times (because of curbs). But, she never complained - you're the best, Kathryn! Thanks for your encouragement :)

This weekend, we are in the Adirondacks and are truly enjoying a FANTASTIC time together (thanks, John and Nancy, for giving us some time away!) I just did my 8 mile run this morning and WOW is all I have to say! I'm finally at the point - NEVER thought I would have said this - that it's easier for me to go uphill then downhill. My knees keep screaming at me when we I go down these rather large "hills" (us people from Michigan would call them mountains :) I'm very happy to say that next weekend I will be completing my 9 mile run in the "flatlands of Michigan" :)

It's been a good journey so far. I'm almost at 25% of my goal ($960 out of $4,000) with 10 weeks left to raise the rest. Each donation has been such a boost for me - Aimee and Farrah, thanks for yours this week! I saw it right after I finished my long run this morning :) Please keep them coming - $3, 040 to go! :)

**********

Update - Sunday, August 10

Well, let it never be said that you cannot vacation and exercise at the same time! :) The past three weeks have been FULL of travel. We just got in from NYC tonight (sorry we didn't get to see you Heidi and Kristin :( and we had a tremendous weekend visiting Manhattan/Central Park and yes of course, RUNNING! For the past 3 weeks, my long runs have been 9 miles each (when I realized that I was actually a few miles ahead of schedule, I leveled off!) So, only 4 more miles to add on. Physically, I feel really good - all except my knees - they are awfully sore anytime I do more than 3 miles (which, has been every run for the past 8 days :) Please pray that it doesn't become more than painful knees!

For several weeks no donations came in (and I'm in panic mode with only 6 weeks left to raise money!), but just this weekend FOUR more donations came in! Thank you Christopher, Schultz, Smith, and Hay Families!!!! You have encouraged me beyond words!!! Your belief in me is so inspiring. There is no way I could do this without your support!!

**********

Update - Sunday, August 24

Another two weeks into training - amazing how quickly some weeks go by and others drag (and the runs!!). Yesterday, I ran 11 miles with my team here in Rochester (after 6 straight weeks of travel) and the run was great! New shoes helped with pain - the knees aren't as bad - still sore but they are doable now. And maybe there is something psychological about knowing I only have 2 more miles to add on. I am running between 25-30 miles each week; 4 miles now is my standard daily run. The Olympics have been awfully motivating, I must admit! :)

Financially, I am SO blessed! Thank you friends and family for all of your donations!! In the past 3 weeks, over $900 has come in. THANK YOU!!! :) So, now my new total is $2,400. I am thrilled!! And yet, I also realize that time is getting short - only six weeks left to raise the remaining $1,600. Spread the word - if you know of someone who would love to support me, please pass this website along. Thank you all!!! :) You guys are awesome!!

**********

Monday, September 15

Well, I ran the 1/2 marathon yesterday here in Rochester as a practice run - and I felt like it was the worst run I've ever completed. Why, you ask? Because I stopped and walked for 2 minutes... not a good reason you say? :) In my "running career", what little it has been :), I've never had to walk ANY of my long runs ever, so as soon as I stopped to walk around mile 9, I felt like a failure. Never mind that it was 85 degrees and very humid, never mind that up until that point I had run UNDER my goal time, never mind that I had to pee from the first mile (the line for the bathrooms were 10+ minutes in wait time before the race, so we decided to go during the run... there WERE no potties on the run! AHH! Not a muscle that I wanted to be holding for 2 hours!!)

So, all this to say, I'm laying in bed this morning calculating the time it would have taken me to reach my goal time - I would have had to run 2 minutes and 38 seconds quicker - that's all - to be at my goal. For some reason, figuring this out made it worse... in my mind I immediately say, "Kristen, of course you could have run that much quicker!" And then I begin to remember how much pain and how much swelling of my head from the heat I was feeling those last 4 miles. And that wonderful still small voice (gotta love it :) begins to bring to mind the Phil. 4:11-12 verse:

"for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want."

Being content. Content in not doing what I thought I would do. Content in being ABLE to run. Content in finishing being enough.

What I did not realize was that the next verse was, ironically: "I can do everything through him who gives me strength." So appropriate for my run to put these two verses side by side. I now read this last verse here in a new light: I can do all things through Him - and one of those things is God giving me the strength to be content.

Financially, you guys get the BIGGEST PRIZE EVER for support! In the past 4 weeks, you have sent in over $1,600. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!! :) You have all supported me in countless ways and I appreciate it SOOO much. I'll say it again, you guys are awesome!!! :)

**********

Friday, October 10

Well, one week from today and I'm flying to San Francisco to run in the Women's Nike Marathon with 19,999 other women! :) I'm getting very excited! My runs have been hard to keep up these past 2 weeks with my brother in from Israel, but we're making it! Tomorrow is my last "long" run (at 6 miles - I'm excited it's only 6!!) before I begin to run several 3 milers until the day of the race.

Financially, I am thrilled to say that not only have I reached my goal of $4,000 with your help, but you all helped me reach my college friend's goal (7 of us running) of $28,000! We are currently at $29,000 and still climbing. You guys are the best. Thank you for your amazing encouragement and support! I look forward to telling you all about the race in a little over a week!!!

**********

Monday, Nov. 3

Well, two weeks ago today I was on my way back from San Francisco having run with 20,000 other women, 5,000 of them who were running and raising money for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. And what a fabulous time it was!!!! I could write pages and pages of the experience, but I'll try to keep it to a minimum :) A few highlights...

Saturday night LLS held a pre-race pasta party for the participants, and it was great food, but more importantly it was a time of motivation... from the time we entered the hall, all of the LLS staff (over 500 people) cheered us in - I mean REALLY cheered us in - cowbells, noisemakers, screechers, clapping, you name it. I was so overwhelmed that I began to immediately tear up.... All of these people cheering ME on was incredible. And then after the meal, a lady from the Ohio chapter shared her journey with LLS - currently undergoing treatment and still running in the marathon the next day. Many, many could have shared their story that night - so many fighting again leukemia and winning... over $18 million dollars was raised for LLS for this race.

Sunday morning - race day - breakfast at 4am. Yes, FOUR am. Shuttled down to the start by 5am - huddling in the dark. And when you have that many women running, guess how long the lines are for the port-a-potties! :) I was told that the race would be scenic, and everyone was correct - even under a cloudy, cold morning. :) Anyone who has been to San Francisco knows its beauty - we saw a lot of it on the run... Fisherman's Wharf, Ghiradelli Square (not natural beauty, but c'mon chocolate!!! yes, we stopped for chocolate the day before and were also given chocolate at mile 11!!), Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate Park, and one of the (many!) hills brought us to an amazing overview of the Pacific Ocean. Beautiful!

I have only run 2 races before, this being my third, so I don't have much by way of comparison, but I was AMAZED at the difference in this race - it wasn't about me, or about my time; it was about running for something much bigger than me, than all of us runners. The energy, the emotion, the encouragement, the focus - thinking about all of the honored patients we were running for - some we were running/walking with. I had the blessing of running with my Houghton College roommate during the race. How fun to encourage one another along and to think of why we were doing this. What's a mile long hill when the person you are running it in honor of has to get up and do chemo treatment, again, for the fourth month in a row? It's all perspective.

I feel very blessed and honored to be a part of this race, this event, this opportunity. Suffice to say, I think I would put this in one of the top ten experiences in my life... absolutely fabulous. I know I've said it before, but I want to thank you once more - your part in this was amazing! Thank you for giving to a phenomenal cause and for believing in and encouraging me during the whole process. I would never have been able to do this on my own.

So, everyone's next question - are you going to keep running? Yes, I think I've been bitten by the running bug! But, something local and shorter distance sounds just fine by me!! But, anyone who wants to begin (or continue) running and be motivated by an amazing cause? Go to www.teamintraining.org I'll be your first sponsor :)