Sponsor Me for My First Marathon!
I DID IT!!!! I FINISHED THE MARATHON!!!! 26.2 MILES!!
On January 11, 2004, I finished my very first marathon in Phoenix, Arizona! I ran for 5 hours and 25 minutes and 30 seconds and it felt great! This experience was one of the most memorable of my life and I did it for a wonderful cause! As a member of the Massachusetts Chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training I raised over $5,500 dollars to aid in the fight against blood related cancers. Our MA team of 14 individuals collectivley raised over $70,000!
Once again, I would like to thank each and every one of you who graciously sponsored me for this wonderful event. I couldn't have done it without your support!
I ran this race in memory of my late grandfather, Grampa B. He was a wonderful man and I miss him greatly. He was with me in spirit every step of the way.
I would like to thank my brother Ryan, his girlfriend Kelly, my boyfriend Andy, his sister Allison, and her husband EG for travelling with me to Arizona to form my own private support team. Having them with me during race weekend was a true blessing.
I had so much fun running this race, that I hope to continue running several more marathons! Thanks for visiting my website!
Good-bye!
Original Postings:
Welcome to my website! On January 11, 2004, I will be running my first ever marathon (that is 26.2 miles!) in Phoenix, Arizona. I have volunteered to raise $3,700 dollars as part of my training with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, an organization dedicated to finding a cure for blood cancers and improving the quality of life of patients.
The primary purpose of this webpage is to track the progress of my training and to thank those who have graciously sponsored me along the way. As my training progresses, I will post a weekly update, including a description of my mileage, new places explored during my "long runs", photographs of me with my training team, and additional thoughts I have along the way.
Individuals and/or organizations who have made contributions are listed below on the Donor Honor Roll. I would like to once again thank those who have supported me in this endeavor. Without them, this challenge would have been more difficult and much less enjoyable! THANK YOU!!
If you haven't yet contributed to the cause but would like to, please email me (using the "Contact" link to the left). Every dollar helps, so please donate as much as you feel comfortable with. Over 75% of all funds donated are applied directly to the search for a cure for blood cancers. For more information on the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society access the link to their webpage below.
WEEKS 1-3:
Well, training hasn't been too bad yet. I have run with my training group twice now. It is amazing how much help running with others can be. It breaks up the monotony of running alone and it helps the miles fly by. It turns out that I am a pretty slow runner compared to the others in my group but so far there has been at least one person running at my level, which is nice.
I ran 6 miles during my last long run (which occur on Saturday mornings) and I felt great afterwards. I took some photos of me running, in addition to a few others along the way. I would like to thank Jacob (my coach Vivian's husband) for taking the actual shots for me.
During the week (excluding long runs), I run 4 to 5 miles almost every single night. Either that or I head to the gym for some cross-training.
If anyone would like to run with me during my training, please let me know. I am always looking for people to run with!
WEEKS 4-6:
I can't believe that I am already a month and a half into my training. The past three weeks have been a little trying for me, since I have been plagued by minor injuries (tendonitis and runners knee), although I have been sticking to the training schedule for the most part.
I have had the luxury of running in new and exciting locations during the past fews weeks while on vacation. Photos have been posted and depict the areas I visited and ran through in Cooperstown, NY and Chicago, IL. Both towns presented their own pleasantries while running. I ran my very first road race while in Chicago along the shores of Lake Michigan. I ran a 5K race for "Life without Lupus". I finished in 30:21 and placed 15/43 in my age group and 50/256 overall (for females). Not bad, huh?
Fundraising is going extremely well...so far I have raised over $3,100 for the LLS! Many thanks to all who have sponsored me.
Check back soon for more updates!
WEEKS 6-9:
I am almost half way through my training already! I can hardly believe it. My mileage is growing each week and my weekly long run is currently 9 miles. Within the next two weeks I anticipate running 10 to 12 miles on my long runs. In addition to running four days a week, I have added two days of cross-training at the gym. This helps to strenghthen muscles that aren't used as much during running, which helps my running performance in the long haul. Plus, it helps to prevent mental fatigue when running. My fundraising is still coming strong and I have already exceeded my fundraising goal. Keep the donations coming though...every dollar helps!
Group running has been slowing down for me, as I frequently opt to run alone on Saturday afternoons rather than get up early. I do plan on attending more training sessions in the weeks to come.
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The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
Photos
Donor Honor Roll
Send E-Mail to: andreablackburn@comcast.net
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Copyright © 2004 Andrea L. Blackburn. All Rights Reserved