Thursday, October 6, 2011

LIVESTRONG Day...and we're off to CHI-Town!


That's me...and my wife while waiting for the train after running a 5K this past Sunday which was LIVESTRONG Day. It was her second 5K ever and she improved her time by more than a minute. I gladly paced her in her first and now for her second, and will keep doing it as long as she feels she needs me there by her side. Training for a marathon takes time. It consumes a lot of time. And it requires a high and unwavering commitment level not only from yourself but from those close by...usually immediate family and friends. My wife has been a champ and my strength through these 8 months of training.  Sure she complained and some Saturdays when our kids "naturally" decided to wake up at 6AM, when typically is very difficult to get them up half hour later on weekdays, I wasn't there to help to let her catch some more zzz's. I was out running pretty much every Saturday morning since March when I joined VIP Running. Now she has caught the running fever, which kinda caught me by surprise but I clearly love it. In the end, we run to make us feel better, both physically and mentally. We run to have time for ourselves, which is increasingly difficult in the times we live in. We run to push ourselves to give our best and hardest effort. We run because sometimes the hurt feels good. I'm glad she has caught the running bug. It can only bring us closer together and make our family healthier. And when I cross the finish line on Sunday after completing my first marathon, she will be there with my kids just like she's done for the past 20 weeks or so. For that, I'm truly and forever grateful.

The Lance Armstrong Foundation celebrated 14 years this past Sunday October 2. LIVESTRONG Day marks the day that Lance Armstrong was diagnosed with cancer 15 years ago at age 25. At the time, hdeclared himself a survivor—not a victim—and took an active role in educating himself about his disease. Armed with knowledge, support and confidence in medicine he underwent aggressive treatment and beat the disease.


Today, hundreds of people every year sign up for Team LIVESTRONG to participate in endurance events -run, bike, walk or swim- and along the way raise funds for the foundation. Our Chicago Marathon team has raised close to $220,000...and we are not done yet. Our team is excited and anxious to take on the streets of Chicago proudly wearing yellow in support of the 28 million people living with cancer worldwide.


I get on a plane in 12 hours or so to fly to Chicago. Bags are packed. Training is done. Hydration and carbo loading are well underway. All that's left is to go out Sunday and enjoy a 26.2-mile tour of Chicago.


I'll keep you posted...and thanks to all who somehow, someway have helped along the way. The journey has been rather cool.

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