How it all started

When I was in the sixth grade, my childhood friend died of leukemia. Back then, I didn’t really understand what that meant, but I thought that I would never forget about Eric. When I was 30, I developed a goal to run a full marathon before I turned 40…because Oprah did it. Crazy idea – since I wasn’t even a runner. At 36, I signed up for various races to build up to 26.2 miles, but ended up injured during the marathon since I didn’t train properly.

In 2006, at age 39, my deadline was coming near and it looked like I wasn’t going to meet my goal. During this time, I developed a friendship with Brenda, a 36-year-old mother of two young spirited boys, who was in remission from leukemia. While in remission, she had completed the same half marathon that I first did by myself, a full marathon, as well as an Olympic distance triathlon. Brenda convinced me to join Team in Training to get professional coaching for my marathon, and in exchange I would raise funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Wow, I thought, this would allow me to achieve two life goals at once…honor the memory of Eric as well as complete a marathon!

I shared my goals with friends and received strong encouragement and support. As well, I began to develop a long list of honorees to run for as my supporters asked me to run in memory and honor of their family members and friends who battled leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma. Once I made my promise, I couldn’t turn back and this cemented my goal to complete the marathon. While training with Brenda, her cancer returned. She received a bone marrow transplant but later developed host vs graft disease of the lung and sadly passed away the following year. I had another name to add to my list.

Since meeting Brenda, I have completed four marathons and a century ride. Because of Eric, Brenda, Chip, Shelby, James Henry, Cole, Maxx, Victoria, Caroline, Ray, Maddie, Richard, Thomas, Kendra, Joseph, Porter, Paul, Vanessa, Frank, Cheryl, Sandi, Ruth, Ellie, Chris, Ian, Justin, Lynn, Corinne and Sonny, I am beginning my third year of continued involvement with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and plan to complete my first triathlon, The Vineman Full Triathlon on August 1, 2009, an Ironman Distance event with 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike & 26.2 mile run with a 16 hour time limit. Team in Trainign will provide me the training in exchange of me raising funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Visit my fundraising page for more details about the cause.

I'm looking forward to these next nine months. I feel excited, anxious and scared, but confident that if I stick with the training, I will be an Ironman in 2009. I will use this blog to document my journey and daily workouts. I hope you visit often to follow my progress and offer words of encouragement because I will need it.

Today was the IronTeam Kick-Off. I met my coaches & teammates and received my initial base-phase training schedule (Mondays rest...Tuesdays swim & bike...Wednesdays strength train and run...Thursdays bike and run...Friday swim and strength train...Saturday Coach workout... Sunday bike). Coach Alex, our strenth coach, also took a baseline of our current strength level.

Day 1: Strength Baseline: 42 push-ups, 15 right planks, 25 left planks