This past October marked the 1 year anniversary of losing my Mom to Stage IV Colon Cancer. Before she passed away, I remember her telling me one day cancer will not be a death sentence and people will have HOPE. My Mom was right because LIVESTRONG represents HOPE and I am so proud to be a part of it. One week after my Mom's 1 year anniversary, we lost my Aunt Luisa to Breast Cancer. The loss brought back all of the same feelings the day we lost my Mom.
In December of 2012, we met the bravest little boy I have ever met. His name is Mario and he has been battling cancer for a few years now. My family spent a few hours with his family and we just fell in love. Mario and I enjoyed coffee, played karaoke, and enjoyed lots of laughs together. I told Mario I would place his picture on my jersey so he would complete his first half marathon with LIVESTRONG.
Why Austin, Texas?
I chose the Austin 1/2 Marathon with Team LIVESTRONG because it was the 1st event of 2012 and I wanted to honor Aunt Luisa and run in support of Mario's current battle. I also chose Austin because the Lance Armstrong Foundation was headquartered in Austin, Texas - and I was hoping to meet some of the team and connect with the wonderful people who make LIVESTRONG work everyday. Jen and I arrived at LIVESTRONG HQ the day before the race and we were in for a real treat! We met many of the staff members that run programs and help prepare runners... people like Tom Whiteside, Colleen Legge, Barb Simmons, Brooke McMillan and many others. I also had the privilege to meet Doug Ulman, President of Lance Armstrong Foundation. We spoke about my Mom, my journey, and why I chose LIVESTRONG. For those of you who don't know, Doug is a 3-time cancer survivor and he is living proof that 1 person can make a difference. And then we met Amy Dodson, as she was our guest speaker and special guest. If you do not know who she is, google her and do some reading. All I will say is that she has redefined testing the limits of what the human body is capable of doing. She is absolutely amazing! She is the ultimate role model so it is only fitting that the is a teacher.
My Training
I haven't stopped running since I started training for Pittsburgh. For me, it is a combination of rediscovering an old friend and a way to cope with loss. Training for this race was a little different from any other race I had run in the past. I did my homework and knew the hills would be challenging, and race day certainly proved that true. This winter season was very mild, and as a result I got every run in this season outdoors! I am pretty sure a few people upstairs were looking out for me and kept the snow away which made training much easier.
Race Day
The wake up call at the hotel came at 4:15am so I had time to eat, stretch, and get ready for the 7am start. As usual, I didn't sleep much the night before because I was excited to run! I committed to memory the grading of the course so I would be prepared! Before the gun went off, I reminded myself why I was running - to honor my Aunt and to support Mario. The gun went off and so did I and 18,000 other runners. The first 3 miles went by quick and the terrain was flat. The climb started at mile 3 and lasted through mile 7. It was a steady long climb and my body felt great. The next couple of miles were filled with rolling hills so I was working hard up and down the hills...this portion started to punish my legs as the downhills were just as hard as the up hill sections. For me the race began at mile 10 because my legs were tired and I had 3.1 miles left to battle. During each step I reminded myself why I was here and who I was running for - this really helped me remain focused. Mile 12 started with a steep hill and I was pushing with everything I had. I remained focused on driving my stride up the hill as hard and fast as I could. Only 400m remained and my wife & the finish line were now in sight. I finished a hilly 13.1 mile course in 1:48:16. I was very pleased with my performance and effort - I attacked the hills and gave it my all.
A Special Thank You
To my partner in crime, a special thank you for giving me the hours to train with my already crazy work schedule. Thank you for traveling 5+ hours in the car to Pittsburgh and 4 hours via plane to Austin. You are always there by my side, neon orange paddle in hand cheering me on. Thanks for supporting me, I love you.
What's Next?
I will be continuing my runs with Team LIVESTRONG (my goal is 2 to 3 races each year), and will be assembling a large team for the Philly Challenge later this summer - be on the lookout for the invite! And I am getting involved with the Grassroots Local Leadership Team in NJ for LIVESTRONG.
Race Day
The wake up call at the hotel came at 4:15am so I had time to eat, stretch, and get ready for the 7am start. As usual, I didn't sleep much the night before because I was excited to run! I committed to memory the grading of the course so I would be prepared! Before the gun went off, I reminded myself why I was running - to honor my Aunt and to support Mario. The gun went off and so did I and 18,000 other runners. The first 3 miles went by quick and the terrain was flat. The climb started at mile 3 and lasted through mile 7. It was a steady long climb and my body felt great. The next couple of miles were filled with rolling hills so I was working hard up and down the hills...this portion started to punish my legs as the downhills were just as hard as the up hill sections. For me the race began at mile 10 because my legs were tired and I had 3.1 miles left to battle. During each step I reminded myself why I was here and who I was running for - this really helped me remain focused. Mile 12 started with a steep hill and I was pushing with everything I had. I remained focused on driving my stride up the hill as hard and fast as I could. Only 400m remained and my wife & the finish line were now in sight. I finished a hilly 13.1 mile course in 1:48:16. I was very pleased with my performance and effort - I attacked the hills and gave it my all.
A Special Thank You
To my partner in crime, a special thank you for giving me the hours to train with my already crazy work schedule. Thank you for traveling 5+ hours in the car to Pittsburgh and 4 hours via plane to Austin. You are always there by my side, neon orange paddle in hand cheering me on. Thanks for supporting me, I love you.
What's Next?
I will be continuing my runs with Team LIVESTRONG (my goal is 2 to 3 races each year), and will be assembling a large team for the Philly Challenge later this summer - be on the lookout for the invite! And I am getting involved with the Grassroots Local Leadership Team in NJ for LIVESTRONG.
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