thechittumfiles: Team in Training Round 2 Begins

As I drove home from school tonight, I was chomping at the bit to get out and run since the thermometer in my car read 64. Sixty-four! Can you believe that?

After the last few weeks of single-digit temps, 64 was heavenly for a run. It was so nice to be able to get out and run without layering, stocking caps and all that junk.

I have officially launched my fundraising website for Team In Training. I hope to raise $4,100 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society before the race in June. Mitzi and I attended one of the first informational meetings last weekend, and the kickoff is in early February.

Every one of us knows someone affected by cancer, and any strides forward in research for Leukemia and its related diseases will hopefully someday help all who are dealing with cancer. Just in the last few years, my friends and family have dealt with cancer of varying types.

The mission of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and to improve the quality of life for patients and their families. Every five minutes, someone is diagnosed with a blood cancer. Every 10 minutes, someone dies from a blood cancer. LLS helps fund research, programs for patients and their families, and testing potential bone marrow donors.

My first marathon experience with Team in Training was life-changing. To see the enthusiasm, passion and devotion the TNT group has for the cause is inspiring. Training for and running the marathon is the least I can do to help patients and their families.

Every mile of every training run I was carrying the mental support of everyone who helped me on my journey. All of you who donated, all of you who took the time to say "Hey - how's that going?", all of you who sent your prayers - I couldn't have done it without you.

I'm asking for your help again. Please visit my fundraising page. You can donate online. I'll be updating both my TNT page as well as the blog with training updates and fundraising news.

When I returned from San Diego in 2006, I shared with all who supported my journey. Here is the letter from the end of the road:

HI EVERYONE!

I just wanted to send you a note to let you know that yes, I actually finally ran the San Diego Rock N Roll marathon on Sunday, June 4.

To answer the two most-asked questions right away:
1. Did you win? NO - I'm not from Kenya.
2. How long was it? 26.2 miles.

I finished with a time of 5 hours, 10 minutes, which was just about right on my estimate of the 5 hour range. The weather was perfect - overcast and about 65 degrees for the first 4.5 hours, and sunny for the last little bit.

Looking back, I think the marathon was the easy part. The training and fundraising for LLS was the tough part. Thank you to all of you for your mental and financial support throughout this process. They say you hit the wall when running a marathon, when you feel like you just can't go on. I never felt that. I had the support of all of you, and about 10,000 Team in Training spectators along the course. (My singlet had my name across the front, so people I didn't even know were cheering me on. It was like being a celebrity.)

At mile 22, as I passed zoo 2, a U2 cover band, playing "Pride (In the Name of Love)" I had my marathon moment. At that point, I KNEW I was going to finish that race. Dehydration set in as tears began streaming down my face. ;) It is one of my favorite songs, and about 100 yards past their stage, I finally spotted Adam there waiting for me. Later I asked if he saw me coming, and he said, "No, all I saw was this crazy girl running toward me crying." He thought for a moment that I was in pain. Nope, just overwhelmed. He ran with me for about a mile, then dropped off to meet me at the finish.

Again, as I crossed the finish line, I lost it. Some of you that are receiving this email have run a marathon before so you know that feeling. I think the tears and hyperventilation as I crossed were a mixture of elation, relief, exhaustion, pride, and love for all of the people along the way who told me I could do this. Hopefully, in my finish line photo, it looks mostly like a smile, but I'll probably look like a blubbering idiot!

With my TNT friend, Diana, I finished this race, walking only through the water stops. If you would have asked me six months ago if I would ever run 26 miles at a time, I would have said "Are you freakin' crazy?" But now I've done it, AND sat in a bathtub full of ice water for 15 minutes - that just might have been the worst part!

Thanks again for all of your support, and especially to those of you who have helped me raise $3,700 to help fight blood and bone cancers. With this race, the Kansas Chapter of TNT has now raised more than $1 million.

Have an awesome day, okay?!

> Love,
> Jill