First, don’t be fooled. I am not running a full marathon… Yet. Although these past 4 weeks with my new Team In Training community would have you thinking otherwise. I will not, or cannot, run a full marathon before Erin does. I owe it to her, doing my my 30 day secret challenge in secret was enough. And besides Erin has worked very hard and deserves that glory before me. Gosh, I am such a good sister.

Since day one of TNT training (May 26th) I’ve run with the full marathoners. This was either by complete accident, by default, or by no choice other than my own. I’m rather afraid of San Francisco and the mountainious treck the Nike Women’s Marathon has set for us. My housemate Charlie (and Nike marathon participant last year) gave me the idea that training with the full marathoners would make the mountains easier to climb come October 14th. So that’s what I’ve decided to do. We shall see how right Charlie is this fall.

Now that my mission to run a half marathon is really on, how exactly was I able to get into the Nike Marathon without entering the lottery or without any marathon running experience at all? It’s through Team In Training, the charity organized by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada, that’s how. Through Team In Training I was granted automatic entry into a marathon of my choice (there are a series of races TNT can send participants to which usually require special entry in some way). Clearly, I was going to San Francisco and not staying here in Toronto. Given the choice, why not? I would love a Tiffany necklace handed to me by a beautiful firefighter, thank you! Team In Training also sets you up with a running coach and a fundraising coach to help you along the way. TNT also fully equipped us with a weekly training program, and not only do we meet every Saturday to run as a group, our coaches provide weekly tips and inspiration for everything running related — from shoes, to stretches, to what food to eat — there are people who’s job it is to answer all my questions. And having very little running experience going into this, this eased my nerves.

Running & fundraising makes Cecilley and I very excited!

The other component to Team In Training is the fundraising. No, you do not get a free ride to any marathon courtesy of the lovely folks at LLSC. You have to give back. But trust me its completely worth it. Because Cecilley and I have decide to stick this out together we’re combining our fundraising efforts and set a combined goal of $8000 to raise for LLSC. The minimum is $3800 each, or we can’t go. We’re going with optimism here, we’ll make it there I know it. A big chuck of our proceeds earned go directly to the LLSC to help support those living and fighting leukemia and lymphoma, though research and improving treatment facilities. A portion, yes, will get Cecilley and I to the half marathon, but we’re running with the cause in mind.

It was Cecilley after all who convinced me to do this in the first place. I had no idea what TNT was before she told me this was some we had to do. But it was I who suggested we run in San Fran. I truly believe we are the perfect pair, just like Jody and Beth from Gold Diggers: The Secret Of Bear Mountain. I’m Jody in case you’re wondering.

Now that you know what I’ll be doing for the next 5 months I have to ask – if you’re feeling generous and want to support Cecilley and I as our mission to run a half marathon (and save lives) has begun, we’d appreciate all the help we can get! This is our donation page. 🙂

Thanks for your support! I’m going for a sub 2-hour time, if that’s not worth something, I don’t know what is.