Let the training begin!

Dear Friends and Family,

I have made the decision to embark on an exciting adventure... For the next four months, I will train to run a half marathon! This 13.1 mile race will be held on Saturday, June 6, 2010 in San Diego, California. How did I come to this decision, you ask? Read on...

As the 2010 spring semester began, I felt that I had done enough complaining about how tired and out of shape I felt. It was time to make a change! I began to work out a few times a week, and I really began to feel great! When talking with a friend a few weeks into my workout routine, she told me that she was training to run in a half marathon race in March. I couldn't believe that anyone would want to do such a thing! How could she run for such a long period of time? However, she explained to me that she takes her time and pushes herself mentally. I let her story sit in my mind for a few days until I finally realized that if she could do it, so could I!

If not today, when? I made the commitment to work toward a 13.1 mile race! My next task was to find a race. In searching, I realized that I didn't want to run simply to run. I wanted to cater to a higher purpose. This is when I found Team in Training! I heard radio commercials about the organization in the past, but I never knew what it was about. I read more about becoming involved and decided that this was the best way for me to reach my goal of a 13.1 mile race while contributing to a worthwhile cause.

As I train, I will also be raising money to support the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I will raise $2,900! I hope that you will consider supporting me as I raise funds to benefit treatment for patients and research for cures to these terrible diseases that affect billions of people worldwide every year.

In order to track my progress and keep friends and family current on my training and fund raising activities, I will maintain this blog. Please be sure to drop in to see how I'm doing! I thank you for your love and support as I embark on this journey that is sure to change my life...

Alexis

More about Team in Training...

"Team In Training (TNT), The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) groundbreaking charity sports training program, has reached a remarkable milestone of raising $1 billion to support blood cancer research and patient services.

For more than 21 years, TNT has grown to become an unparalleled charity endurance training program. More than 420,000 participants, from first timers to seasoned athletes, have trained with TNT and achieved their best at marathons, half marathons, triathlons, 100-mile century bike rides and hiking adventures." (teamintraining.org)

More about Leukemia & Lymphoma...

"Blood cancers such as leukemia, Hodgkin lymphoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, myeloma and myelodysplastic syndromes are cancers that originate in the bone marrow or lymphatic tissues. They are considered to be related cancers because they involve the uncontrolled growth of cells with similar functions and origins. The diseases result from an acquired genetic injury to the DNA of a single cell, which becomes abnormal (malignant) and multiplies continuously. The accumulation of malignant cells interferes with the body's production of healthy blood cells.

Every 4 minutes one person is diagnosed with a blood cancer.

An estimated 139,860 people in the United States will be diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma in 2009. New cases of leukemia, Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma account for 9.5 percent of the 1,479,350 new cancer cases diagnosed in the United States this year.

Every ten minutes, someone dies from a blood cancer. This statistic represents nearly 146 people each day, or more than six people every hour. Leukemia causes more deaths than any other cancer among children and young adults under the age of 20. In general, the likelihood of dying from most types of leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma decreased from 1996 to 2005 (the most recent data available)." (leukemia-lymphoma.org)