Final Race Preparation

In the last week, we have raised nearly $1,000 for the cause bringing the total up to $4,700 to benefit the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute...wow!  I am amazed to the point of tears by the generosity of all of you to donate to such a fabulous cause and help bring us closer to a cure!  Thank you all!!  

With the race being just 2 days away, the final race preparation has begun.  Yesterday I picked up my bib number and wandered around the race expo.  The excitement has begun in the city as runners from all over the world arrive.  With all the nerves/excitement built up about the race, it makes me want to go for a run to calm down, but my training plan has the final two days as rest days and I need to save  my legs for Monday!  Tomorrow, the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge team has a pasta dinner together which will be a wonderful event reminding us all why we are running on Monday along with some team motivation.  I will also be taking the next two days to mentally prepare myself for Monday and reflect on the stories that have been shared with me that have inspired me to fundraise/train even harder for this cause. 

"That's the thing about running:  your greatest runs are rarely measured by racing success.  They are moments in time when running allows you to see how wonderful your life is."

-Kara Goucher (one of the elite American runners who will be racing on Monday)

She couldn't have said it better.  My last few long training runs have brought tears to my eyes as I realize how blessed I am to have the support of all of you and how passionate the people in my life are about making the world a better place.  It saddens me that so many people in my life have been affected by cancer in a negative way, but I have great hope for the future as medical advances continue that more of these stories will become positive ones.

For those who still wish to contribute, simply click here to be taken directly to my fundraising page.  The donation process does not take long at all. :)

I don't think I can thank all of you enough for the difference you have made in benefiting the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to directly fund innovative cancer research!

-S

Heartbreak Hill

For weeks people have been asking me if I am ready for the marathon and the infamous Heartbreak Hill- today I finally feel like I can answer this question confidently with a yes.  Yesterday marked my last long training run and I decided it was finally time to see what the hype about Heartbreak Hill was all about.  I ran out on the marathon course down Heartbreak Hill and the other Newton rolling hills realizing I was clearly descending most of the way and would have to turn around to ascend to get myself back home.  On the return trip I reached Heartbreak Hill at about mile 10 and found myself wondering if that was really the dreaded hill because quite frankly it didn't seem so bad.  Perhaps its because I spent most of the last few years running the hills of Tennessee- running up the dreaded Demonbreun hill frequently with my fellow Nashville runners, as well as trail running at the Warner Parks in which "hilly" is an understatement.  While I may feel differently about Heartbreak Hill when I reach it at mile 20 a week from Monday, I am feeling confident that there will be no heartbreak for me at that point in the race.  People tell me the rolling hills of the Boston Marathon are tough- I ask if they have run the hills of Tennessee recently...

As the race gets closer, I find myself getting more and more emotional about it.  9 days to go and just the thought of crossing that finish line brings a few tears to my eyes.  I have run other marathons, but this one proves to be the most meaningful.  Embarking on this journey, I never imagined the emotional impact this would have on me.  I have had many people share their stories with me and witnessed others fighting their own battles with cancer- it has brought on the urge to raise even more money so that we can see more success stories for those battling cancer.  The thoughts of all of your loved ones stories help me through when the going gets tough with long training runs and remind me why I am out pounding the pavement.  The temporary struggle and pain I battle with during a run is nothing compared to the battle others are fighting with cancer- this pushes me harder than ever before.  I hope that with my training and fundraising, I can ease the difficulty of the battles people fight with cancer every day as a part of a team much larger than just myself.  The $3,700 you have all helped me raise so far to benefit innovative cancer research is remarkable.  While it may seem like a small drop in the bucket, it is the collaborative effort of something much greater than that.  Since 1990, the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge team has raised more than $56 million to directly fund the Barr Program.  Our team as a whole this year has a fundraising goal of $4.6 million.  Every single donation makes a difference in taking strides to a world without cancer.

Thank you to all of you who have donated, supported me, run with me and prayed for this cause as race day nears- all of you have made a significant impact!

To those who have not donated yet who would like to, the process is quick and easy!  Simply click here to open my personal fundraising page with Dana-Farber and follow the instructions.  :)

Enjoy the weekend!

-S