Training Hiccups, Winning Fat Duckets

The first group run happened today at 7:30 outside the Salt Museum in Onondaga Lake Park. My team is a friendly bunch and it was nice to meet everyone. And I won the $100 fundraiser drawing! Thank you, team leader Kim! The thermometer is slowly moving.

Of course there had to be a slight hiccup or two. I tried to pull into the wrong area of the parking lot, and pulled right up to some walking paths before stopping. Two men on park benches gave me disapproving looks (the benches blocked the lot where I needed to be). Also, I looked at the wrong schedule and ran 3 miles instead of the 4 or 5 I really should have run. Oops. I will have to kick my training up a notch next week.

Rock the Purple Shirt

I was shopping for running shirts in a big chain sports retailer this weekend, and in the women's department I found a whole section dedicated to breast cancer awareness apparel. Black hats with baby pink ribbons, hot pink wicking t-shirts, pants with pale pink writing up the side. Symbols of support for breast cancer research surrounded me.

When people buy these shirts, part of the purchase price is donated to cancer research, which is good, and, even better, when people wear the shirts, they go out in the world as a reminder that there are people battling cancer right now, and they need your continued support. I looked around, but I couldn't find any blood cancer shirts. No ball caps with plum ribbons, no dark purple technical tank tops. And I wondered, where are our shirts?

Well, I guess we will have to wear them. And not just my Team in Training team at the P.F. Chang's® Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon & 1/2 Marathon and not just the other half of my team at the Walt Disney World® Marathon, but all the Team in Training runners in races all over the country. We will rock the purple shirts for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Fundraising Page post from August 26th

****Want to be famous? Platinum Donors get their logo printed on my team's shirt!****
Thank you, Pajiba!

I hope the wonderful writers and readers of www.pajiba.com will accept this Laurel and Hardy handshake for donating over $500 yesterday. Pajiba: scathing reviews, b*tchy people, big hearts.

I'm training to participate in my first marathon ever as a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team In Training. I am completing this event in honor of my grandfather.

When I signed up for Team in Training, the 26.2 miles waiting for me in far-off January did not intimidate me. Want to know what did? See that thermometer over there? $3,800 is so much money. After initial misgivings (ok, icy fear ran through my body, I am not going to lie), I am resolved to meet that goal.

The little thermometer is moving y'all!

Thank you for donating. YOU are a hero.

~*~*~Will Run for Coffee~*~*~

Fundraising Page post from August 8th

****Want to be famous? Platinum Donors get their logo printed on my team's shirt!****

Thank you, Pajiba!

I'm training to participate in my first marathon ever as a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team In Training. I am completing this event in honor of my grandfather.

When I signed up for Team in Training, the 26.2 miles waiting for me in far-off January did not intimidate me. Want to know what did? See that thermometer over there? $3,800 is so much money. After initial misgivings (ok, icy fear ran through my body, I am not going to lie), I am resolved to meet that goal.

With the fear still gripping me, I sent out my first solicitation e-mail, to a website I visit daily. To my great delight, the immediate reply was, "yes, we will make it work" and even a thank you (more on this great philanthropist later, check back!) The tears were pouring from my eyes as I read the e-mail, that is a given, right?

Well, that encouragement was all it took. The fundraising fear has left me. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is such a worthy cause, guys. I love to run, and I have run in smaller races in the past, donated those $20 entrance fees that go to various charities, raised maybe $100 for that one breast cancer walk. Team in Training is not messing around y'all - $3,800 is a lot of money. Think of the good that chunk of change is going to do for cancer research.

Thank you for donating. YOU are a hero.