Hey, Team!

Well here we are. We are down to a select group. You have pushed forward with your mileage and your fundraising and have taken the next step--RECOMMITMENT. Congratulations! Let's get through the last bit of fundraising, so that we can focus on the marathon.

Almost there! [Coaches pep talk]
I just wanted to take the time to tell each of you how proud I am of you. Training for a marathon is HARD work. Fundraising is HARD work. You should be as proud of yourselves as I am.

We are about to start ramping up the miles and the weather is going to change to being hot. You will find yourself struggling on some of these runs/walks. That is okay. Push through it and know that next week will be better. This is all part of the experience. Use these tough times to motivate yourself. When you make it through a tough spot, feel good about it. You made it.

Listen to your body. Slow down when it tells you to. And if it says stop, please do. This is the time during your training where you are more susceptible to injury. You are pushing your body to new limits and it may not like it. Be sure to rest, rest and REST! You will need more sleep and more fuel to keep you going. Take it easy on Friday nights. Eat a well balanced meal, put your feet up and go to bed early. Your body will thank you on Saturday. :o)

Mission Moment:
Here is another story for you from the lls.org website. I can't help tearing up when I read these.

Mark
Living with AML for 41 years, 2 months
Age: 42

I AM A SURVIVOR. Simple as that! In 1967 at the age of 22 months, I was diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia. At that time, the survival rate for this type of Leukemia was less then 4%. I consider myself one of the lucky few that did survive.

After being misdiagnosed for a few months, my parents were given the news in the fall of 1967. The doctors were not too confident that anything could be done for me and basically sent me home to die. My parents never accepted this and with the help of our family, found a wonderful medical team headed by the top pediatric hematologist in New York, Leonard Luhby who took me in. From that point and for the next 10years, he never gave my parents definite answers about survival. He said, 'I can guarantee you two things, first-I will get him into remission. Second, as far as a normal lifespan, forget it.... At least he was half-right!

Today, I am a healthy 6'1 185 lb husband and father. I joined Team in Training in the fall of 1999, 32 years after that fateful diagnosis and competed in my first marathon in January of 2000, the Disneyworld Millennium Marathon. I ran in honor of a woman who had passed away that fall and for all the thousands of others battling this horrible disease. I ran to let others know that a diagnosis does not mean a death sentence. I ran to give something back. I raised over $15,000 for the Team in Training and look forward to running again later this year.

One of my trainers gave me a word of advice for the final 385 yards of the marathon. He told me to 'keep a little left in the tank.' I asked him what he meant by this and he said that I'd want to have something left so I could sprint the last part to the roar of the crowd. The last sprint to the finish line was filled with excitement, fatigue, joy and sorrow. I broke down as I crossed the finish line when they draped the medal over my head. It took me 32 years to get to that point...but I made it.

Routes: (The miles are ramping up, but you can do this!)
Distance: Halfers get 8 miles, again. Fullers you are jumping up to 16 or 14 if you are a bit weary, Woot!

Fullers: 16 miles: Stil up for discussion with the coaches. Stay tuned for the final vote.

Fullers: 14 miles: From the gazebo head straight out to Memorial to the lil wooden bridge. Cross the bridge and turn right to head out to Hwy 6. Keep going until you see the picnic table with the coolers. Head back to Eldridge, passing the lil wooden bridge on your way. Loop under Eldridge and head out to the Beltway. Do the hokey pokey and turn yourself about. Head back to Memorial and and take your shortest route to get back to the gazebo--take the walkway alongside Memorial and then under the road to bring you back home.

Halfers: 8 Miles: From the gazebo head straight out to Memorial to the lil wooden bridge. Cross the bridge and turn right to head out to Hwy 6. Keep going until you see the picnic table with the coolers. Head back to Eldridge, passing the lil wooden bridge on your way. Loop under Eldridge and head out to Dairy Ashford. Turn around and head back to the gazebo skipping the bunny loop!

Fundraising Tip of the Week:
THIS IS A REPEAT FROM LAST WEEK, but I can't stress it enough. You have been telling people for months that you are training and fundraising for a marathon event. REMIND them again that you need their fundraising commitments to succeed. Let them know that their donations are 100% tax deductible and that these same donations are life saving and changing.

Go Team!

Coaches Trudi and Robert