Evidence

Two months until race day and training is still going well.  Our longest run to date was 16 miles last Saturday.  We ran in Knights Ferry on Sonora Road and were able to practice running on hills.  The first 8 miles were really good.  Even though it was hot, the wind was blowing and we had a ton of energy!  And then we made the turn...there was NO wind and it was VERY hot.  Our coach had us get into the river when we were finished and the ice cold water really helped our muscles and legs from becoming sore.  The run was more difficult than I thought it might be, but I pressed in and was able to finish strong.  My running partner was late so I ran with the Mendes brothers.  They are really good runners and a ton of fun to be around.  They had a brother, Paul, who had leukemia and passed away in January.  The disease was very swift and gave no warning, leaving his friends and family in shock.  Running this race is their way of honoring their brother's memory.

Betsy had her second chemo treatment last Thursday.  She was really sick during her first treatment, so she had a lot of people praying specifically for this second treatment.  I talked to her on Tuesday and although she is still very weak and losing weight, she felt much better this time around.  Please continue to keep her in your prayers.  Even though she's battling sickness, Betsy continues to be an uplifting encouragement to others.  Betsy had recently shared a story of the amazing evidence of love and care that was displayed when one of her physical needs was met.  Which got me thinking....   We care, but it's got to be more than words.  What are we doing to display the evidence of our compassion, or love, or duty?  That's why I'm running this marathon.

Thank you to everyone for helping me reach my financial goal of $2,400.00.  You have been such a blessing to me and I appreciate all your support!  

Until next time. 

Beauty for Ashes

Training is going well and I am meeting a lot of great people! This week our recommitment form is due. That means I am now committed to raising $2,400.00 for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and running a full marathon on October 19th. With your generous support and encouragement, I’m close to reaching my goal. I was a little nervous about recommitting until I read Betsy's last e-mail regarding her progress and what she is going through. I realized that I am doing nothing compared to what she is experiencing. Betsy recently visited a wig shop in preparation for chemotherapy. Although she didn't purchase the wig in the photo, she had a blast trying on all sorts of styles. She talked about how her battle with lymphoma has become like a race of sorts, and that these past months have been training for the months to come. That really put things into perspective for me. At the end of all this, I’m going to get a t-shirt, a medal, and hopefully my name in the record books for making great time. Betsy’s finish line holds a greater reward. I look at her smile that is so genuine even while dealing with hair loss, nausea, chemo treatments, and the unknown. I’m humbled by her strength and will gladly continue on this journey to do what I can to fight this beast called cancer.

Sometimes I get tired of getting up so early for those early morning runs but once I'm out there it's fine. Saturday, we ran 14 miles at 6:30 am, so I had to get up at 5:00 to get to Modesto in time. This means that my Friday nights aren't too late anymore! The run was easier than I thought it would be and I made good time, so I was pleased. Our next long run is 16 miles on the hills in Knights Ferry. I’ll try not to think about it until that morning so I don't get too anxious!

Thanks for all your support and prayers, and especially for Betsy.
Until next time....