Welcome, my friends, to my Team In Training donation page!

I'm training to participate in an endurance event, the Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco, as a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team In Training. Oct. 18 is my big day.

Though I initially signed up for the Rock N Roll Seattle Marathon in June, the universe had other plans, and I endured what I call "the big crash" just before go-time... but we'll get to that in a moment.

My initial interest in training was for the personal physical challenge, but Team in Training is so much bigger than me. TNT is the Society's largest fund-raiser, and it exists to find a cure for for blood cancers. That research translates well to other types of cancer too, and one kind is just as nasty as the next... To me, cancer is cancer, and it all SUCKS.

I lost my Mom to lung cancer on July 1. Through her two-year battle, I watched this awful disease sap the strength of the strongest woman I've ever known. I saw her body deteriorate, and then worse, her mind. I know the emotional toll it took on her, my family and myself.

Since shortly after Mom was diagnosed, I've struggled to find ways to do my part, to help in some way. Her battle was a constant rollercoaster with more downs than ups. Through her, I learned to not take my healthy body for granted. I shed 50 lbs and gave up cigarettes in just the past year. Now, I'm not just ready to pound some pavement... I want to help pound cancer too!!

To that end, I'll be raising money over the course of my training... and YOU can help by making a donation to support my TNT participation and help advance the LLS mission. Please pass this Web site along to all your friends, family, coworkers and contacts too! If you would prefer to mail a check, simply e-mail me at mamasrockineve@hotmail.com for the address. No amount of support is too small, and it all is appreciated.

My first fundraising experience was amazing: When Mom was diagnosed, I needed a focus, something to do with myself. So I set out to throw a party in her honor and raise money for her treatment costs. We received overwhelming support, and I was hooked... and I'm going to need that kind of support again now, as I continue to mourn her loss and attempt to make small strides in ensuring that less families will have to experience what we did.

Mom will continue to inspire me to keep running until I cross the finish line in San Francisco. But we all - myself, the Team and our heroes - need your support to cross the ultimate finish line - a cure!

Cindy Mahurin - "Mom," whose strength and optimism in her battle

against lung cancer was - and continues to be - my ultimate source of inspiration.

Mama Patty, Sandy, Debbie and Karen - I come from a long line of tough ladies who have all played a role in shaping who I am, and they've each waged their own battle against various forms of cancer.

Madison Merola - an adorable 4-year-old who never had a chance to experience life before leukemia - fighting cancer is all she knows.

Tim Fox - a personal friend who has defied the odds in his fight against pancreatic cancer to live WELL for years beyond his prognosis.

Pam Davis - another personal friend who beat lymphoma while caring for her son, then just a toddler.

Michael Patrick - the TNT Honored Patient Hero for the fall season, a little cutie with a head full of curls and a handful of card tricks up his sleeve. His sunny disposition is a reminder that there are always reasons to smile, despite the darkness.

Tammy Hlinak - a friend to my mother and hers hubby, whose family is never short on love and support.

Mama McKinney and Mama Hazel - more strong-willed women in my heritage, both of whom lived years past their doctors' expectations.

"Big Tony" Genaro - my former boss, father to the family who still employs my brother. I had only begun to know him when he died... but I knew he was a cool, cool dude.

Hooray, for the official re-launch my fund-raising page. After a long break from updates and a struggle to get back into training, I am excited to say... I'm back!! Though my heart still aches, my world is looking brighter. I am determined now more than ever to finish what I've started. Lookout, San Francisco, here I come!!

When I started my 8-month journey with Team in Training, my goal was to complete a half marathon. I hoped to be able to run the entire distance... but that task seemed daunting. I told myself I'd be okay with just finishing, though that was never really true.

I met that initial goal on Sept. 6, 2009, when I jogged the entire distance of the Rock N Roll Half Marathon in Virginia Beach. My sweet future sister-in-law joined me for the trip, and we had a BLAST!! Check out the photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jzbell79/sets/72157622329849896/

Somehow, in my mind, this takes some pressure off San Francisco. I've already done what I set out to do. Now, I'm simply finishing the marathon to be able to say that I did it, and so that I can proudly display a "26.2" sticker on my car. Am I still a little nervous? Of course. But am I confident that I'll pull it off? Absofrakkinglutely.

Re-booked my flight this morning... crazy to think that it's only a few weeks away!

I'm having a really hard time at the moment with staying on top of workouts... After coming home from Va. Beach with a (slightly) injured ankle and taking a "few" much-deserved days off, getting back on track has been near-impossible. But ready or not, Oct. 18 is quickly creeping up on me! I have just one more super-long training run - 16 miles this Saturday - and then just a couple weeks to work out and nurse any lingering injuries before the big day.

An LLS newsletter I received yesterday, telling the story of a patient who received aid from the society... along with a recent message from my chapter's staffer, describing brand-spanking new advancements in chemo drug development paid for by society funds... prompted me to make one final fund-raising pitch before the marathon. As I composed the e-mail this morning, these words came to mind:

Only 24 days left!!!

This weekend, I was reminded of the dedication it takes to wear TNT purple...

I was super nervous going into Saturday morning's 16-miler. Sure, I did longer training runs for Seattle. But I had a partner then, someone I paced well with to co-miserate on those long and painful miles. And I was in better shape too, as I've been sorely slacking on my workouts lately, on top of having some nagging injury issues with my feet and ankles. So while I knew I could complete the mileage, I expected to walk quite a lot of it, and I expected it to be painful. And if I was dreading the 16 mile training run... well, I'm sure you can imagine that my anxiety about the marathon was at a peak.

When I arrived at our usual starting place, it was cool and damp... and the mist would continue all morning. Darren, who has a very personal vendetta against blood cancers, had a few special words to say to me and to Audrey, the only other participant present, in place of our regular "mission moment," words that reflected on each of our personal situations and aaalmost made me cry.

After a big GO TEAM, I headed out with Erica, my training twin from the Seattle season who is now a coach-in-training. She's not doing the crazy-high mileage at the moment though, so after 3 miles or so, I broke off on my own. But a couple more miles down the road, Kelly (another awesome coach) showed up. She chatted with me at the water stop and promised to meet me a little later on the route. So I trucked on alone for a little while until, just as promised, she showed up again. She checked in several more times too, and even walked a couple miles with me... and of course, then Darren popped in to check up on me... and then Erica cruised by in her car to see how things were going... and finally Steve, another alumni who is now coaching and whose wife was an "honored patient" for a past season, showed up to run a while and see me through those last few miles.

In all, it took me about 4 hours to finish... and it wasn't as rough as I'd feared. I know that my determination to see this through is the biggest factor in my ability to keep going... but I also know that it's made much easier by the awesome and dedicated individuals who contribute so much of their time to seeing myself and others like me through to the finish line.

So just in case I don't say it enough: Thanks, Team... y'all ROCK.

Went for a short run yesterday evening and had a familiar feeling... As I jogged along, breathing in the cool air and crunching on the fallen leaves, I noticed a jack-o-lantern on a neighbor's porch - first one I've seen this season. Fall is absolutely my favorite time of year, and I felt a little surge of joy at that moment. Then I realized it was much like a feeling I had early on in my training, many long months ago, when I realized that spring was coming to my fair city. As I marvelled at the blooming flowers and dewey mornings on those March and April Saturdays, I appreciated the gorgeous place I call home more than before. It's so easy in our busy lives to put off such small stuffs... I'm glad I have running to make me pay attention.

As I headed to the Charlotte airport before sunrise on Friday, Oct. 15, I struggled to wrap my brain around this thought: this is it. It's finally here. My extended journey with Team in Training is coming to an end. All week it had seemed surreal.

I joined TNT in January 2009. Mom had just been diagnosed with cancer... again. She'd already been battling for a year and a half, and her sickness had been a wake-up call for me — I'd been working out for months and had recently quit smoking, and I was ready to do something bigger with my new healthy lifestyle.

My goal was to run a half-marathon at the inaugural Seattle Rock-N-Roll race in June, and I had a fund-raising goal of $4,500. It seemed so daunting at the start.

But I set out to finish, sacrificing Saturday morning sleep for training runs and forgoing social engagements to work on fund-raising letters. I made friends with the girls on my team right away, and within a few weeks, I'd raised my goals — I wanted to complete the full marathon and raise $5,500, enough to qualify for "Rockstar" status.

As the months wore on and the big day drew closer, Mom's health steadily deteriorated. She insisted I stay with the team though; she was so very proud of my efforts and wanted me to see it through. By early June, we knew that her treatments were no longer working, that we would lose her soon. I wondered if I'd made the right decision, giving so much of those precious last months to the team, and I hoped that she would live to see me cross the finish line.

Turns out, the universe had other plans.

Less than 48 hours before I was to board the plane to Seattle, Mom's health took a dramatic turn for the worse. I chose to cancel the trip and spend her final days by her side... but I vowed to still finished what I'd started, and soon.

Mom died July 1.

I took a few weeks off to take care of family business and recover a bit physically before jumping back into my runs. I settled on San Francisco before long, and I decided to run a half-marathon in Va. Beach just for kicks in the meantime. (See those photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jzbell79/sets/72157622329849896/)

Though I met my initial goal in Va. Beach, the trip told in these photos are the culmination of nearly a year of struggles and successes, of joy and heartache, of a long and exhausting journey. And somehow I pulled it off — I exceeded my fund-raising goal, bringing in nearly $5,600 and placing first in my chapter. And I finished the marathon in 6 hours, 39 minutes.

As I stated in one of my last fund-raising letter/updates: "Every step adds up to a greater journey... every bit of support adds up to a greater contribution... and that, my friends, is how we are making a real difference."

Turns out, I was right on, even more than I realized... and those words buzzed in my brain as I heard the totals announced at the TNT Inspiration Dinner: my chapter alone had raised $55,000, and all TNT participants brought in a total of $14 million for the fight against blood cancers... and that's just for this one event! I think that's pretty incredible.

That I was able to revel in this accomplishment in a place like San Francisco was icing on the cake. I fell in love with Chinatown and the way the weather can go from warm to cold and clear to foggy in seconds flat. I marveled at the old, decorative building architecture and the crazy-hilly landscape and the breathtaking views of the bay. I took in all the sights and sounds and smells I could in my short time there, and I captured as much as my camera could to bring home. (Those photos are posted here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jzbell79/sets/72157622572917057/)

So thanks for sharing the journey with me.  =)