Proverbial training hurdles

Many of you have been so wonderful in asking, "how is the training going?!" Well, for the past few weeks...it wasn't going very well. Between learning a new full-time job, going to school and all of life's other activities, I ran myself ragged. As a result, I ended up with shingles (an unpleasant combination of shooting chest pains, headaches, and people saying, "you have what?!" as they slowly back away). Well, after dropping my microbiology class, and taking a few weeks to slow down, I am feeling much better, thank you. Today I put the ol' trainers on for the first time in two and a half weeks. 3 miles in hilly St. Edwards Park taught me that I have some work to do to get back on board with my training. But the good news is that I am well enough to do so now. Keep me in your thoughts and call me if you want to go for a run with me :)

Faubion family gives big!

Gimme an "F", gimme an "A", gimme a "U", gimme a "BION"!!! What's that spell? Big donors!!! Thank you to Jenny, Barbie, Tom and Kristin (Coovert, formerly) Faubion for your generous $100 donations each and for getting my fundraising going! This family has single-handedly helped me to surpass the 5% mark in meeting my ultimate goal...$4000 to give to the Leukemia Lymphoma Society. Woohoo! Feel the excitement.

Oh, and if you are wondering how my training is going, I went to the gym the other night to run on the treadmill AFTER my microbiology class got out at 9:00pm. (Oh yeah, I'm serious about this training business.) So, I hope that gives you an idea. And this weekend, I will do the "ultimate West-side work out experience". I will attempt to run the Santa Monica stairs with my brother-in-law. Hopefully some hot celebrity with a nice behind will run ahead of me as "motivation". (Please excuse the overuse of quotation marks if you hate air quotes as much as Bjorn did!)

Donation Ins and Outs

If you donate $100 or more, here is the form you need to claim your frequent flier miles from Alaska Airlines: http://www.teamintraining.org/chapter/wa/1316479/alaska_airlines_form.pdf

All donations are 100% tax deductible!

Your company may match your donation...which would be great for me! Please call your HR department to see if they do.

Catherine's Team in Training Blog

It's official! I have finally made the move into the age of technology (not bad for a girl who grew up with a black & white TV, and an 8-track in the family station wagon!) If you are visiting this blog, you have probably heard that I have decided to train for the Nike Women's Marathon. You know, I just didn't have enough going on with working full time at Children's Hospital, and going to school to complete prerequisites for nursing school :) Well, true to my very busy nature, I have signed up for this incredible challenge...and I intend to have a great time seeing it through!

The inspiration and motivation for my training, my fundraising, and my run itself...is my friend, Bjorn Nielsen. Bjorn, or Beej, as many of us called him, passed away in January of multiple myeloma at the age of 26. As Bjorn's mom said to me in an email, Bjorn would never have wanted to run a half marathon himself (he much preferred sitting in his comfy chair, or drinking a cold brewsky). But I know he would have supported me with a "you go for it, buddy!" He was the kind of guy who always had time for his friends and who had a real pinache for making time for the "important" stuff...like sportin' aviator sunglasses, cheering on the Huskies, and going to barbeques and theme parties! I miss him so much, and I am acutely aware that no one should ever have to go through what Beej did during his two year battle with cancer. But brave it, he did, and always with his trademark sense of humor. Cue the "ma ma ma myeloma!"

So, I begin my training this week to remember Bjorn...and to "kick some cancer butt" (as someone so eloquently put it at our kick-off event last weekend). I also begin working toward my fundraising goal of $4000. Most of what I raise will go straight to cancer research and directly to help families dealing with blood cancers (a small amount will pay for my race expenses). I hope that each and every one of you will support me, as I will need it! Come to my fundraising parties, comment on my blog, run with me, visit my website, give what you can, and cheer me on!!! I have not decided for sure yet if I will run the half or the full marathon. But either way...San Francisco, here I come!