Bella Speranza

This morning I completed my first double-digit mileage run of training and it felt fabulous!  We had a big snowfall last night in Boston leaving me with beautiful scenery for the run. 

On every one of my runs, I take a mental break from life to reflect on my goals for the marathon and why I am running.  Today I was running with a former patient in mind.  He had been diagnosed with a cancerous tumor that had impaired his ability to walk.  He was an athlete with dreams of playing college football.  He was devastated and it was heartbreaking to watch.  I often take for granted that I can go out for a run without difficulty- maybe my knees get sore or my back aches, but I can walk and do the things I love to do.  Reminding myself of how fortunate I am to have that ability makes all the small aches and pains seem miniscule.  When the going got tough on my run today, I put in the extra effort for him to run the miles that he can no longer run.  I have hope for the future that we will be able to diagnose and cure these cancers before they become debilitating, which is why I am running for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.  The title of my post "bella speranza" is Italian and translates to "beautiful hope".  This is a phrase that I embrace everyday.  If we can't have hope for a better future, then what do we have?  Please help support me in my efforts to battle cancer and find the cure-  everyone deserves to have the feeling of beautiful hope for the future.

Wishing everyone a healthy and happy New Year!

Best wishes, 

-S

Selfless Gifts and the Essence of the Marathon

Every time I board a plane to head home to Minnesota for the holidays, I am reminded of the most amazing holiday gift I received from my hockey team in Nashville. My mother was finishing up her treatment for breast cancer and I was bummed to not be heading home for Thanksgiving due to the expense of a plane ticket (I would be heading home for Christmas just a few weeks later).  A member of my team informed me that the guys had a gift for me- immediately my mind wandered to all the gag gifts they could have possibly gotten me.  When my teammate showed up to my apartment to drop off their present, I saw only an envelope in his hands. I opened it to find enough cash to fly me home for Thanksgiving to see my mom.  I was in shock and crying from the thoughtfulness of this gift.  To this day I am so grateful for those guys- I will never be able to thank them enough. 

I want to expand on their selfless behavior and raise money for the cause I care so deeply about- cancer research. I am often asked why I am choosing to run a marathon to do this. The Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge team includes hundreds of runners raising money for the same cause allowing us to make a large impact. It is also a dream of mine to run the Boston Marathon, so why not support an amazing cause while doing so?

Bill Katovsky says it best, "The finish line is the same for all runners. How we get there and what we do along the way are what matters most. The journey defines us."  

I never dreamed of running any distance beyond up and down a soccer field until a friend from my recreational hockey league turned to me in the locker room and said, "If I can train for my first marathon at my age, then you certainly can too!"  She had just signed up to run a full marathon in Duluth, which at the time I thought was absurd. However, I don't take to challenges very well due to my competitive nature and within a week was officially registered for my first marathon. The challenge of training and spending my weekends on long runs with my dear friend were life changing.  I developed a bond with my training partner that remains priceless- she gave me wonderful life advice and inspired me to chase my dreams no matter what.  The journey that I experienced in the months prior to crossing the finish line was the best part, the race itself was a celebration of accomplishment.  I can't wait to see what this journey to April 15 has in store for me and I hope to make a significant positive impact on the life of others.  Stay tuned to this blog for updates on fundraising, the grueling training process and most importantly inspirational stories from those who have been affected by cancer that I am running in honor of. 

I now have my official fundraising page up and running!  You can access it by clicking the donate here link under the picture above. 

Thank you to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for allowing me to be a part of such a wonderful cause. Also, a big thank you to those of you who have supported me through the years and have gotten me to where I am today- I love you all!

-S

Introduction

As some of you may already know, I was lucky enough to be chosen for the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge team for the Boston Marathon April 15, 2013. This involves intense marathon training and fundraising. 100% of the funds raised by the team go directly to the Barr Program to support cancer research. Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is a leader in cancer research and you can learn more about the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge team here. I am thrilled to be raising money for a cause so near and dear to my heart, as well as the hearts of my friends and family. Unfortunately it is rare to find someone who has not been affected by cancer whether it be directly or indirectly. I have set a personal fundraising goal of $10,000 which I hope to meet and exceed. With both of my parents being cancer survivors, I would love nothing more than to benefit others to allow them to have the same success stories as my parents.

My goal of this blog is to allow those who donate to follow my fundraising and training up until race day, as well allow people to share their experiences with cancer and why the cause is important to them. I am absolutely honored to be able to run on behalf of everyone affected by this awful condition and help get another step closer to the cure. I do not yet have an official fundraising page, but I will be sharing the link with you all as soon as I receive it.

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas with their family and loved ones!

-S