It's such a wonderful feeling knowing that everyone is so supportive of the crazy things I am doing! I had a bunch of friends help spread the word about my quest to end cancer this week - how lucky am I? :-) I sure feel pretty lucky! Thanks so much Joe, Jon, Meg & Marie! You guys are the best!!
Thank you to everyone who has already donated to my cause! If you haven't yet and you would like to support my run in the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge, follow my link right from this page! Make your donation in memory or in honor of a loved one/friend and I will be sure to add his/her to my list :-)
You guys are the best!! Thank you so much!!!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
DFMC singlet has arrived!
There has been a lot of talk about the newest announcement from the BAA. Check our the changes for the Boston Marathon in years to come! I think the changes are great - although it stinks to hear so much bad talk about the charity programs from fellow runners. I hope to qualify someday, but until then I can't really see sitting home and feeling like I don't belong. As long as the BAA still offers the programs, I will still continue to apply in hopes that I can make a difference :-)
I'm not quite at where I had hoped to be by this point as far as fundraising goes. I really hope that the next couple of weeks will pick up! I really want to be able to reach my goal - or at least be almost there by race day! I know we can do this, but I can't do it alone. I need your help!
Thank you so much to everyone who has supported me this far! I couldn't be doing this without you :-) I received 3 donations this past week from 3 very special people to me - and with the week I've had let me tell you - getting the "Congratulations! Someone has made a donation to your run!" emails truly MAKE MY DAY! Thank you all so much! It really uplifts me every time someone is able to help support such an amazing cause.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Monday Long Run & Fundraising Update!
I slacked off on my long run this Sunday so I made sure to tackle it Monday (yesterday). A slow 10 miles around Fairfield wasn't too bad. Weather was nice and quite warm (comparatively)! Overall my training is going pretty well. Was a bit set back for a couple of weeks due to a health issue about a month ago, but hopefully the worse of that is behind me now!
I've decided to switch my days around a bit, but I am still following Jack's marathon training schedule for beginners pretty close! He does a great job coaching/helping us. Jack Fultz is a veteran marathoner and the winner of the 1976 Boston Marathon! A typical week for me looks like this:
Sunday: long run, stretch
Monday: rest, strength
Tuesday: shorter run
Wednesday: shorter run, strength
Thursday: cross train 30-60 minutes
Friday: medium run, strength
Saturday: cross train 30-50 minutes
Right now, my long run is up to 10 miles. The next few weeks should average around 30-40 miles per week, increasing each week.
FUNDRAISING UPDATE!!!
I am still a LONG way away from reaching my goal of $10,000! I know we can do it though. I am keeping this faith! I know many of you have said you would love to donate - and there is no time like the present :-) If you need my address to send a check (made out to Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge) definitely let me know and I would be more than happy to get it to you!
www.rundfmc.org/2011/emilyj
If your company has a matching gift program - ask me about the forms for that as well!
I know we can do this guys! I'd love to be able to raise as much as possible by Marathon Monday! Please tell your family/friends and share my message with anyone you think may like to help! The donations that get me the most are the ones that come from the people you least expect :-)
To all of you who have already donated - THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT! And to my donors from BOTH last year and this year - a special thank you to you!!!!!!!
I've decided to switch my days around a bit, but I am still following Jack's marathon training schedule for beginners pretty close! He does a great job coaching/helping us. Jack Fultz is a veteran marathoner and the winner of the 1976 Boston Marathon! A typical week for me looks like this:
Sunday: long run, stretch
Monday: rest, strength
Tuesday: shorter run
Wednesday: shorter run, strength
Thursday: cross train 30-60 minutes
Friday: medium run, strength
Saturday: cross train 30-50 minutes
Right now, my long run is up to 10 miles. The next few weeks should average around 30-40 miles per week, increasing each week.
FUNDRAISING UPDATE!!!
I am still a LONG way away from reaching my goal of $10,000! I know we can do it though. I am keeping this faith! I know many of you have said you would love to donate - and there is no time like the present :-) If you need my address to send a check (made out to Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge) definitely let me know and I would be more than happy to get it to you!
www.rundfmc.org/2011/emilyj
If your company has a matching gift program - ask me about the forms for that as well!
I know we can do this guys! I'd love to be able to raise as much as possible by Marathon Monday! Please tell your family/friends and share my message with anyone you think may like to help! The donations that get me the most are the ones that come from the people you least expect :-)
To all of you who have already donated - THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT! And to my donors from BOTH last year and this year - a special thank you to you!!!!!!!
More races for great causes!
This past week has been pretty awesome :-)
I sat at my computer at 6:30pm on February 2nd with my credit card in hand more read than EVER to hit that submit button. So worried/nervous that I wouldn't get in - but, by some miracle from God, I signed up for my second Maine Tri for a Cure right before the registration slots for 850 athletes closed after just 4 minutes!!!
Tri for a Cure is an all womens sprint triathlon held in beautiful South Portland, ME! The event is in its 4th year and is one of the signature fundraising events of the Maine Cancer Foundation! MCF is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the health and well being of Maine people by funding cancer research, education and patient support programs. I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to participate for the second year in a row! Last year was an AMAZING experience! I strongly encourage any woman who has been touched by this awful disease to TRI it out :-)
http://www.mainetriforacure.org/
In addition to signing up for the TRI, I was also able to register for the Maine Marathon! Registration is STILL OPEN for any of you still contemplating ;-) A BEAUTIFUL course right along the Maine coastline! The race isn't until October so even if you haven't run a mile in your life - I would be MORE than happy to help you out and get you going! And I mean that for ANYONE who is thinking about running this race!
http://www.mainemarathon.com/
I sat at my computer at 6:30pm on February 2nd with my credit card in hand more read than EVER to hit that submit button. So worried/nervous that I wouldn't get in - but, by some miracle from God, I signed up for my second Maine Tri for a Cure right before the registration slots for 850 athletes closed after just 4 minutes!!!
Tri for a Cure is an all womens sprint triathlon held in beautiful South Portland, ME! The event is in its 4th year and is one of the signature fundraising events of the Maine Cancer Foundation! MCF is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the health and well being of Maine people by funding cancer research, education and patient support programs. I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to participate for the second year in a row! Last year was an AMAZING experience! I strongly encourage any woman who has been touched by this awful disease to TRI it out :-)
http://www.mainetriforacure.org/
In addition to signing up for the TRI, I was also able to register for the Maine Marathon! Registration is STILL OPEN for any of you still contemplating ;-) A BEAUTIFUL course right along the Maine coastline! The race isn't until October so even if you haven't run a mile in your life - I would be MORE than happy to help you out and get you going! And I mean that for ANYONE who is thinking about running this race!
http://www.mainemarathon.com/
Why run a marathon?
I mean, let's be honest. 26.2 miles by foot sure is a LONG way! What makes people want to endure the pain of training for months and months only to endure MORE pain for a few hours? Your entire body is taking a beating, your glycogen stores are most likely gone by mile 20 and your starting to hit the wall... and all for what? So you can hobble around for the next week? To say you finished? Well, that is certainly one of the many reasons people give, but I think there is something more than just to be able to say "I did it."
I wondered too, many years ago, why would anyone want to do such a painful thing? I assumed most had done it just to SAY they had done it. But, then I started running for a purpose. And I couldn't stop.
I ran through out high school, mostly to stay in shape. Slacked off from time and time throughout college - but, it wasn't until my senior year that I thought about running for a purpose other than to just cross the finish line.
We all ask ourselves the age old questions from time to time "why am I here?" "what is my purpose in life?" "am I happy?" I really started thinking about the answers to those questions about a year ago. Why HAD God put me on this earth? What DOES He want me to do? And then, it hit me. The wall.
I joined the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge and finished my first marathon EVER in 2010. I was of course, very nervous. Many told me I couldn't do it, I couldn't run the 26.2 miles, I couldn't fundraise the $5,000. I thought to myself "well, I'll show them, I'll finish it!" I did end up finishing the marathon and let me tell you it was TOUGH. I was definitely not prepared as well as I should have been. Physically, our bodies can definitely take it. Especially the body of a healthy 22 year old female. But, mentally - no way. Not even close.
The wall hit me way earlier than I had expected. The feeling that I just couldn't go on. It was too tough. I was too slow, it wasn't worth it. I can just hop on one of those medical busses and they will carry my slow butt to the finish line. I ran most of the race with a fellow DFMC runner and she definitely helped me push. But, as I hit the wall - knowing I had miles and miles to go - I thought "wait a minute, why am I doing this again?"
I swear, my brain did a 180 those last 6 miles. As we approached mile 25 my heart was truly in it. And for all the right reasons. It was no longer about ME finishing the race or what I'M going to get out of it. It was different. Thank the Lord that I am ABLE to run this race, that I am ABLE to make an impact in the lives of others and that through running, I could possible serve Him. I knew running for Dana-Farber was a worthy cause, but it wasn't until I saw the faces of the children and families who had come out to support us at mile 25 (the DFMC cheering section) that I truly knew why I was running.
We all run for different reasons. Some run to stay in shape, some run to say they did it, some run simply because they can. We all run the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge for different reasons too. Whether its a loved one who was treated at the DFCI/Jimmy Fund Clinic, a friend, a colleague, or someone we know who has had/has cancer - we are all running in hopes that some day, those that we are running for will be able to run with us.
God has truly blessed me with a wonderful gift. That gift is two working legs, a clean bill of health and the drive to never give up the fight. We all have the power in us to love one another. To help one another. To do ALL we can to support one another, and we CAN do it.
Philippians 4:13
I wondered too, many years ago, why would anyone want to do such a painful thing? I assumed most had done it just to SAY they had done it. But, then I started running for a purpose. And I couldn't stop.
I ran through out high school, mostly to stay in shape. Slacked off from time and time throughout college - but, it wasn't until my senior year that I thought about running for a purpose other than to just cross the finish line.
We all ask ourselves the age old questions from time to time "why am I here?" "what is my purpose in life?" "am I happy?" I really started thinking about the answers to those questions about a year ago. Why HAD God put me on this earth? What DOES He want me to do? And then, it hit me. The wall.
I joined the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge and finished my first marathon EVER in 2010. I was of course, very nervous. Many told me I couldn't do it, I couldn't run the 26.2 miles, I couldn't fundraise the $5,000. I thought to myself "well, I'll show them, I'll finish it!" I did end up finishing the marathon and let me tell you it was TOUGH. I was definitely not prepared as well as I should have been. Physically, our bodies can definitely take it. Especially the body of a healthy 22 year old female. But, mentally - no way. Not even close.
The wall hit me way earlier than I had expected. The feeling that I just couldn't go on. It was too tough. I was too slow, it wasn't worth it. I can just hop on one of those medical busses and they will carry my slow butt to the finish line. I ran most of the race with a fellow DFMC runner and she definitely helped me push. But, as I hit the wall - knowing I had miles and miles to go - I thought "wait a minute, why am I doing this again?"
I swear, my brain did a 180 those last 6 miles. As we approached mile 25 my heart was truly in it. And for all the right reasons. It was no longer about ME finishing the race or what I'M going to get out of it. It was different. Thank the Lord that I am ABLE to run this race, that I am ABLE to make an impact in the lives of others and that through running, I could possible serve Him. I knew running for Dana-Farber was a worthy cause, but it wasn't until I saw the faces of the children and families who had come out to support us at mile 25 (the DFMC cheering section) that I truly knew why I was running.
We all run for different reasons. Some run to stay in shape, some run to say they did it, some run simply because they can. We all run the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge for different reasons too. Whether its a loved one who was treated at the DFCI/Jimmy Fund Clinic, a friend, a colleague, or someone we know who has had/has cancer - we are all running in hopes that some day, those that we are running for will be able to run with us.
God has truly blessed me with a wonderful gift. That gift is two working legs, a clean bill of health and the drive to never give up the fight. We all have the power in us to love one another. To help one another. To do ALL we can to support one another, and we CAN do it.
Philippians 4:13
Friday, February 4, 2011
First Post!
I thought I would try this out and see how it goes :-) I'll use this blog to record my fund raising progress as well as my training and anything and everything that has to do with my fundraising efforts to find a cure for cancer!
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