Walking to Save Lives - I Did It!!

I did it!! I completed my second Nike Women's Half Marathon. There were moments during the race that I thought I wouldn't be able to cross that finish line, but I did.

The day started out with a 4am wake up call. The team met at 5am in our hotel lobby. It's always inspiring to see how everyone decorates their race jerseys and singlets. So many names. So many in memory of and so many more in honor of family and friends battling cancer. It brought home why we do what we do. Together, as a team, we walked to the start line.

It was a huge party at Union Square with over 25,000 women and a few good men waiting for the start gun to go off. I didn't cross the start line till 7:35 am. I felt great for the first 6 miles -- past Union Square, through the Financial District, down the Embarcadero past Pier 39, Fisherman's Wharf, Ghirardelli Square, and even up the Fort Mason hill. Then my ankles and muscles around my shin started to cramp up. I thought I was fueling regularly, but I might have pushed too hard during those first 6 miles. The next 7 miles were challenging to say the least. The cramping continued up the Lincoln Blvd hill through Sea Cliff, up and down Clement Street, even down Point Lobos through Golden Gate Park and down the Great Highway, all the way across the finish line. Through this stretch, my prayer/mantra became: Lord, please help me get across the finish line before my legs lock up and I fall over. I was so thankful for all the TNT coaches and staff along the race course who came over to ask how I was doing and offering words of encouragement. I was so thankful for all the volunteers who supplied us with water and fuel. I was so thankful for the music along the way, especially the freestyle in Golden Gate Park. You don't know how happy I was to hear Planet Rock around Mile 12.

It was worth every bit of emotion, pain, excitement, etc. There were 3,500 Team In Training participants this weekend and together we raised $10 million, bringing the race's nine-year total to $128 million. We couldn't have done this without YOU! Thank you again for all of your support for my Team In Training efforts to support the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Because of you and your contributions, we are closer to a cure.

It's not too late to donate if you haven't yet. My fundraising website is still open and accepting donations. http://pages.teamintraining.org/nc/nikesf12/cdusablon

Walking to Save Lives - Weeks 16 & 17

Last week's bake sale was a success. Sales and donations from the bake sale totaled $427 and brought me closer to my fundraising goal of $3000. Since then, I've continued to receive donations and am so humbled by people's generosity. I am now just $139 shy of my goal!

Last week's training got cancelled due to the early morning storm lightning. Although I should have done my 8 miles the next day, I took a break. We'll see if that decision will haunt me on race day.

This Saturday, we were back at the American Tobacco Trail in Apex. This is one of my favorites for its relative flatness, natural beauty and well-populated trail. The leaves started turning and falling; it was just gorgeous this morning. It was an easy 5 miles and I took my time -- to take this photo and to start a mental list of what to pack for the race and trip back to San Francisco. I'm so excited, I can barely contain it!!!

I'm able to do this because you've helped me through it.  To date, LLS' Team In Training has remarkably raised more than $1.32 billion to support blood cancer research and patient services. Your generosity knows no  bounds and I am grateful to all of you. You're making a difference in the fight against blood cancers.

Check back here for a recap of the race. Donations are still being accepted.  http://pages.teamintraining.org/nc/nikesf12/cdusablon

GO TEAM!!!