In October of 2007, I had never run more than 5 miles, and not without stopping to walk for stretches at a time. It never occurred to me that I might become a runner, nor did I ever think I would call myself an endurance athlete
. I had smoked for 16 years of my teen and adult life and I had just quit a year prior when I found out that my friend,
Sean Keily had been diagnosed with stage 4 Leukemia & Lymphoma.
In the community I call home, Sean was a ray of sunshine. He was a talented DJ in the gothic/industrial music scene of Santa Cruz and he worked in hospice care. He was best known for his club events at the Blue Lagoon including The Box on Monday nights and Club Fate. After diagnosis, he underwent aggressive treatment at Stanford but to no avail. On June 13, 2008, he passed.
With a heavy heart, I looked for a way to get through the pain of it all. I wanted to fight the feeling of helplessness that had clouded the days since his diagnosis, and make a difference for others like Sean so that they might live to see a better day. I also wanted to do something healthy both mentally and physically for myself, and I found the perfect outlet. In his memory, I decided to join TNT and signed up at a local chapter meeting in July 2008
When I signed up with TNT I had no idea what to expect.
I had begun running around the time of Sean’s diagnosis on my own, preparing for what I already knew I would do with Team in Training. I was running 2-3 miles a few times a week in preparation for the season, but still felt like running a marathon was a feat I couldn’t manage. I wasn’t even sure if I should join as a runner or a walker. Not only was I inspired to join as a runner by the end of the info meeting, but I decided to join as a double header participant. That would mean fundraising for 2 events, the
Nike Women’s Half Marathon and the
Honolulu Full MarathonOut the gates, the level of support offered by the team was phenomenal! I knew I could count on my teammates to keep me motivated and stick with my training. I also saw physical changes very quickly and gained a level of faith in my own physical ability that I had never before seen.
One giant fringe benefit that I never anticipated was the sense of
community I gained from being a part of the team. I became fast friends with several people from my run team as well as one of our honorees, Greg Melendy. Finding a community of people who were just plain fantastic to be around, and who were all doing their best to “be the change they wanted to see in the world” (to paraphrase Ghandi). Today, many of the people I met through TNT have become close friends. We run together, we dine together, and we laugh a lot.
For an example of the support we receive, check out my chapter’s support website for the spring season. This is where we journal and keep in touch for the day to day activities of the team. It helps us get to know one another and also build on team camaraderie. Feel free to visit: http://scrunspr09.tntteam.com/perlcode/index.cg
Getting involved with Team in Training (TNT)
One of the most rewarding and best organized not-for-profit organizations in the western hemisphere is the
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). Fortunately for you, that means it is really easy to get involved!
Team in Training has local chapters all over the US, and you can participate in so many ways. Most who decide to get involved are training for a wide array of endurance events from marathons to triathlons to adventure hikes! Those who aren’t quite ready to commit to completing an endurance event can offer team support by spreading the word as a community captain, offering guidance as a mentor, or even just working a water stop on a team training day. For information, please visit:
www.teamintraining.orgI hope that my experience helps you in your decision to become a part of this fabulous organization.