SUCCESS!!

2 hours, 14 minutes, and 29 seconds!!

I completed my first half marathon at the San Diego Half Marathon on Sunday, June 6, 2010. HOW INCREDIBLE!! I finished the race at an average of 10 minutes and 16 seconds per mile, 14 seconds less than my goal! I continue to wonder if I really did this.. But I DID! I'm so excited and so proud. What a feeling!! While I am so ready to train to improve my running skills, at my first ever face, I finished 286th out of 858 runners in my age and gender division. This puts me at 30%. The way I like to think of it is that if I were running with 10 people in my bracket, I would have come in third place! :-D (About 30,000 total people participated in the marathon, 13, 561 finished, and about 4,000 of those total participants were Team in Training participants.)

Not only was the event itself fantastic, but the entire Team in Training experience was phenomenal!! I certainly look forward to participating again in the future, hopefully next time as a mentor (an alumni participant who serves as a guide and resource for those who are new participants) or even as a coach (an experienced runner who serves as a leader of the participant group and provides them guidance through training). At the San Diego Marathon alone, TNT raised over $12 million dollars to fund Leukemia & Lymphoma research and treatment! The amount that Team in Training alone has raised for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is unimaginable. What an incredible organization!!

I felt completely thankful to have participated in such a giving and positive organization throughout each experience of the weekend. My particular favorite event that set in my heart the extreme need for organizations such as these was our "Inspiration Lunch," a catered pasta lunch on Saturday afternoon, the day before the race. At this event, we heard from a champion running coach and LLS staff to gear us up for the next day, but the most inspiring speaker was a man who had experienced what LLS has to offer. This gentleman told the story of his beautiful young daughter, McKenna. This girl spent her first few years in and out of the hospital through chemotherapy and radiation after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and having a relapse once. At five years old, she was cancer-free and remained so until she was ten years old. Again, she had a relapse, but this time, her body couldn't withstand what it was experiencing. Hearing this man's story of what his family experiences was almost too much. The entire room was filled crying TNT participants as we learned how cancer has so severely affected families everywhere. WHY? I just can't understand how this can happen to such innocent and beautiful people. I am so grateful that I chose to run with TNT in my first race in order to understand just how we are able to use our own resources to help others.

Race day was so thrilling. While waking at 3 AM and sitting near the starting line for about 2 1/2 hours before beginning was not too much fun, every detail of the event made for an amazing experience! The amount of people cheering us along the way, the bands playing at various points along the course, the beautiful scenery, and the extreme energy that all of this provided made for a fun and comfortable run. I barely felt as though I was running 13.1 miles! Okay, okay... There were points where I felt pretty tired, but when those times came, I said a prayer and remembered those who I'm running for, my loved ones and those I know who have experienced cancer and every other family worldwide. One of my favorite moments of race day came during mile 7 or 8. As I was running along the course and various spectators lined the sides of the road, I saw a man standing alone watching as the runners passed. He held a sign that simply said, "Hello complete stranger, I am proud of you." I cried. Truly, as I continued running, I cried! What a beautiful thing... I know that what I did is something that many have not or will not do in their lifetime. I felt pride and humility all at the same time. I am so thankful that I am able to set my mind to this goal and use my body and mind to help others. In addition to that inspiration, it was overwhelming to hear spectators encouraging runners along the way. One woman was telling us runners as we passed, "I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you!" and still others held signs or wore shirts declaring "Someone is running in my honor!"

One very exciting part of my race was my supporter! Alex came all the way to San Diego with me to cheer me on! I cannot be grateful enough to him for his continual patience and encouragement for me throughout the entire experience. Not only did he wake at 3 AM to accompany me to the starting line, but he visited various spots along the course to cheer me on. He was my personal photographer, fan, and best friend. THANK YOU, Alex, for your love and support throughout my entire training and TNT experience!! I love you.

As we have remained in San Diego to vacation and tour for the week following the race, we have seen various locations along our race course. It has been such a blast for me to recollect race day memories each day. "Look! You took a photo of me from that bridge!" and "I remember... This is the spot where one of my TNT coaches cheered me on!" Finding those locations and remembering what path we took, thinking of how I felt or what comments I made as I ran has been so much fun. It has reminded me that I really did so this. I worked for five months to prepare my mind and body to run 13.1 miles.

But this isn't the end.. I am so ready to continue my running experience. I AM A RUNNER! I am so jazzed, so desiring, so prepared to continue to improve my running abilities so that I may be healthy, fit, and happy... I have already begun to search for new races. In fact, I hope to complete another half marathon in the fall in preparation for a first full marathon that I hope to also run in in the fall. I want to be a lifelong runner!

Thank you... I am grateful to every one of you as you have shown support, encouragement, and love. To those of you who have given financial gifts to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in sponsorship of my race, I appreciate you. And I am thankful to God for all that I am capable of accomplishing.

What a beautiful experience...

San Diego... Here I Come!

The time has come! At 6:30 AM, I will begin my journey to San Diego to run in my first half marathon to benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society... And it's ALL because of the love and support that so many friends and loved ones have shown! At the conclusion of my fundraising, I am incredibly humbled to say that I have raised $3,094.96 to fund Leukemia & Lymphoma research and treatment (that's 107% of my goal)!! How blessed I feel... I cannot thank my donors enough for their selfless gifts that have given hope and help to those affected by cancer and has allowed me to make this incredible journey. I would also be incredibly remiss if I did not sincerely thank every one of you who have shown me encouragement and support along the way. Every message, email, and conversation motivating me along the way has been so inspiring to me through this journey. Each of you are truly a hero in my heart!

The joy that I feel having had this Team in Training experience is indescribable. After five months of training, I can say with certainty that I feel prepared to complete the 13.1 miles that lay ahead of me. This Sunday, June 6 at 6:15 AM, PDT (9:15 AM Eastern), I will begin making my way from the starting line to the end of my first ever major race. But this won't be the end... Throughout this experience, running has become my outlet, my fitness, and my passion. I have already begun to search for new races and trainings that I may participate in to improve my abilities, and I have set my sights high. I anticipate completing a full marathon soon, perhaps before the completion of the year.

Team in Training has opened the door to new friendships, new levels of health and fitness, more life and joy, and most of all, a new perspective... While I have been saddened and frustrated every time I have learned of the suffering and pain that so many have gone through as a result of cancer, I have been shown complete graciousness, love, and compassion by every loved one who has stood by in such difficult times, by those of you who have dedicated yourselves to providing help to others through financial gifts and, by every one of you who have shown unrelenting encouragement for me.

The appreciation that I feel for your support is beyond words... Think of me this weekend as I travel to San Diego and RACE!

Ready... Set... GO!

8 DAYS... And Counting!

In six days, I will be on a plane traveling to San Diego. And in eight days, I will be completing my first half marathon! How could it be that after almost 5 months of training and nearly $3,100 raised for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, I have made it to the end of my journey?! It feels unreal. But incredibly rewarding! :-)

It seems that every week of this experience gets better and better!! Last Saturday afternoon, I received enough donations to push me over the edge of my fundraising goal! HOW SURREAL! With almost $3,100 to donate to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, I feel completely thankful that I chose to participate in Team in Training.

In January, I felt sure that I wanted to become healthier and more fit. When I decided to set my sights high and train for a half marathon, I knew that if I were to do so, I wanted to do it in a benevolent way. After all, running 13.1 miles is a truly bold feat for me. I barely thought that it would be possible. But here I am... Totally ready for race day, healthier heart and soul, more aware of the realities of the world around me, and with a gift of cancer treatment and research to show for it. How beautiful...

Today, I ran my final "long run" at 8 miles, and I can barely believe that I performed so well! I'm so proud of how far my body has come... Finishing at 1 hour, 11 minutes, and 20 seconds, I felt so elated! While my measurements might not be 100% exact, I am confident that my pace was much faster than it has been! I have received so much advice and guidance along the way, and especially from from Ernie and my other TNT teammates here in Northwestern Ohio, regarding race day that I am confident that I'm able to complete the race within my goal. Here is a chart of potential completion times and their coinciding paces (the first number is the average amount of time it takes to complete each one mile, and the second number is the final completion time for the 13.1 mile race with the first number as the average per mile):

8:00 - 1:44:57

8:20 - 1:49:20

8:40 - 1:53:42

9:00 - 1:58:04

9:30 - 2:04:38

10:00 - 2:11:12

10:30 - 2:17:45

11:00 - 2:24:19

My baseline goal for race day is to finish in no more than 10:30 per mile (2 hours, 17 minutes, and 45 seconds for the entire 13.1 mile race). However, I would love to finish closer to 10 minutes per mile.

I am completely prepared to run my first half marathon with high hopes and an open heart, grateful for this journey of heart, mind, and spirit!

Taper? Psych! I'll just run a few extra miles...

What a fantastic week! First, I am in awe at the amount of grace and kindness that so many friends and family have shown in my final week of fundraising. I can hardly believe that I am only $188.04 from reaching my goal of $2,900 to benefit Leukemia & Lymphoma treatment and research!! With only two days until my fundraising deadline (Monday, May 24), I'm sending up my prayers that I am able to reach my goal. I truly believe that this can happen. While this journey has given me a look into more sadness than I knew existed as a result of cancer and has made me a more sympathetic person as a result, it has also shown me the beauty of the human heart! How wonderful everyone has been to support me both emotionally, spiritually, and financially as I have made my way from barely being able to run three or four miles at a time to being capable to reach new physical heights and provide thousands of dollars to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. THANK YOU!! Each of you have blessed my life more than I can say. I am truly grateful for this experience!

On top of my excitement at nearing my fundraising goal, I am so thrilled to be working with the Team in Training group from Northwest Ohio. What a fabulous group! They are such wonderful people, so dedicated and energetic. I have been inspired by them to set new goals and work toward reaching them. I'm excited to be working with our coach, Ernie, who is very hands on and very knowledgeable in the sport of running. Ernie has participated in two Team in Training races, but has completed a number of others, including a Century run (a 100-mile run that took him about 30 hours to complete - CRAZY!?). While I do have a general plan given by TNT that I have followed throughout my training, Ernie creates personalized plans for his runners to train for their races. As I am so far into my training, there isn't a need for a new plan, but I mentioned last week that I began my "taper." This means that four weeks before my race I ran my longest pre-race mileage (10-miles), and then I began working my way down to lower miles. However, Ernie's San Diego runners begin their taper THIS WEEK as they ran their longest mileage. SO what did I do, you ask? Taper, schmaper! I ran over 10 miles rather than the 6 that I intended!! :-)

I simply love running. When I complete a run, I feel so alive!! I'm full of energy and so thrilled that my body has carried me so far. I am officially addicted!! ;-) I am looking for my next races, and I hope to complete a full marathon sometime in the future. Perhaps one additional half and then a full? I'm still debating... Regardless, I am committed to working hard to improve my running abilities! Upcoming goals: work on my arm strength and core strength to improve running ability and time (and the toning will of course be a great bonus) AND work on my speed through interval and other training. I am so excited to see how far I'm able to push myself and to one day improve my speed and race finish time.

I just can't say enough about this experience... Team in Training has provided me with emotional wealth through learning sympathy, grace, altruism... And I have gained physical wealth through this extraordinary opportunity to see just how capable the human body is and become healthier and happier in the process.

And in two weeks, all of these newly acquired notions will be tested... It's almost time for San Diego!! :-D

Three weeks to race day!

I can hardly believe that the race is only three weeks away! This week, I had a treat to change the pace of my training. I have recently returned to Ohio to visit Alex, and of course I would continue to train alone, but how much sweeter it is to have other to do it with... So I contacted Team in Training in Toledo to run with their group! The group was small, but that was wonderful for me! I was so excited to experience the closeness of their group!

On Saturday at 7 AM I met their group of 6 at Farnsworth Park in Waterville, OH, which runs along the Maumee River. This was a beautiful run! Cool, scenic, and accommodating (restrooms and water fountains along the way!). And after I ran, I waited with the others who had finished early for the rest of the group. Then, we went out to breakfast together! I loved the camaraderie that the team had developed! What an excellent addition to my TNT experience! I will continue to train with them in the coming three weeks before my race in San Diego.

Now on to what is on my mind most at the moment... FUNDRAISING! With only ONE WEEK remaining until my fundraising deadline, I have reached only 72% of my goal. As a result, if I do not raise the full amount within that week, I have committed to donating the remaining funds from my own finances. While this will be quite a load to bear, I have committed to it. I am becoming quite nervous as the deadline approaches, but I have faith that I will reach my goal. When dedicating ourselves to being a member of Team in Training, we are given a fundraising minimum. In my case, $2,900 is the minimum in order to attend the San Diego Rock & Roll Marathon. However, if we do not reach that minimum, we must prove the remaining funds in order to race.

If you have not given to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society through my Team in Training race, please consider doing so. If you have given or feel compelled, please forward my information to friends and family who might be able to help. Any amounts are greatly appreciated!

You may donate securely online by using this link (and receive receipt):

http://pages.teamintraining.org/nce/rnr10/akollay

I am sincerely thankful for all of the support that my family and friends have shown, both financially and emotionally. Your encouragement is unmatched and so appreciated!

It's all downhill from here!

Today was the final time that I will complete my longest run before race day. This morning, all before 9 AM, I ran 10 miles... and at my best time yet!! What a feeling... I can't describe how grateful I am for my body's capabilities and how excited I am for how far I've come! Thus far, I have been completing my longer runs (6 and more miles) at 10:30 to 10:45 per mile. However, today I beat myself and completed 10 miles in 1 hour and 44 minutes. That's about 10:24 per mile! As a result of this exciting development, I am stating my race day goal: TO COMPLETE THE RACE IN UNDER 10:30 PER MINUTE (2 HOURS, 17 MINUTES, AND 30 SECONDS)! I know that I can do this!! :-)

Aside from the excitement and success of training, I have been working hard to complete my find raising. What a task this is! I am proud and thrilled to be generating funds that will benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and it truly is a lot of work. I have committed to raising $2,900, the minimum amount necessary to compete at the San Diego Rock & Roll Marathon with Team in Training. With only two weeks until my fund raising deadline, I have raised 71% of my goal (this number might not be currently reflected on my donation site as a number of the funds are in the form on checks and have not yet been processed). This is excellent news!! But it still leaves my about $850 short of my goal. I have committed to paying any remaining amount of of my own pocket, but I sincerely hope that I am able to feel the pride and excitement of raising the full amount by race day. If you are able to give, please do so. These funds are truly supporting a worthy cause!

That being said, I am learning more and more everyday of families being affected by cancer. While on one hand, it is positive that so many of those generous people who have supported me financially or emotionally throughout this journey of mine feel so connected to the cause, it is truly devastating to know how many lives this monster that we call cancer has taken or changed forever. Every time that I learn of additional people who have had cancer or have supported a loved one who has, my heart breaks. Please know, each and every one of you, that on race day, I will be running for you. You will be on my mind and in my heart. You are my strength and reason in this journey. Thank you for your inspiration...

Please pray for and remember all of the people affected by cancer for whom I run....

In honor of my uncle Wick Flower (Hodgkin Lymphoma) & in support of our family

In memory of (Papa) Dean Mead (Leukemia) & in support of his loved ones

In memory of Louie Hayes (Leukemia) & in support of the Hayes family & their loved ones

In honor of two members of Millbrook Lodge & in support of their members & loved ones

In memory of Tom Nine (Leukemia) & in support of his loved ones

I feel that I have finally reached an amazing place in terms of my physical ability! Today, I ran 8 miles (after running 10 last week, we are deducting miles in order to allow our bodies to recover before doing higher mileage again), and I felt fantastic! What's even more fun is that I am truly coming to understand well the rhythms and dynamics of my body. I have learned that I have "gears," just like a bicycle. I am able to run one pace and decide to move up or down a gear as my body tells me to. In addition, I have learned how my body will generally perform throughout a run. For the first two miles, I generally feel good about the run. I'm ready to go and am keeping a good and quick pace. By the second mile, I tend to become a bit sluggish and wonder if I'll be able to make it for the entire run. I get down on myself, but I push through knowing that it will get better. I usually have a few average miles in between, after pushing through the frustration. Then, in my final miles, I generally pick up the pace and finish strong. That is exactly how my run went today! I finished in under 11 minutes per mile, an excellent pace for me! Perhaps someday in my life, I will become faster... But for now, under 11 minutes per miles is fabulous for my body's abilities! I continue to feel confident that it is more important for me to sustain myself through an entire long run than to finish faster than everyone else. I am my biggest competitor, so I continue to push myself!

So, I have come to a point where I feel confident that if I were to have to race tomorrow, I would be ready! : ) What a cool feeling! This is a great thing, because now I must focus my energy on fund-raising. I have raised about one-third of my goal at this point. Approximately $1,000 is an incredible amount that I am so excited to give to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (!!!!), but it is only a portion of what I must raise. I am SO GRATEFUL for each donation that friends and family have given. THANK YOU!!!! If you would like to donate and haven't yet done so, please continue to think of me as I am waking at 5:30 AM on a Saturday to complete my training in support of cancer patients everywhere. :-) I am also hoping to come up with additional fund-raising ideas to round out my total. I'm inspired by other TNT teammates every week as they announce a new fund-raiser that they have put together. They continue to make raising funds and awareness for TNT a big part of their lives. I hope to be as strong in my commitment by moving forward with fund-raising.