Here I am last year at the San Antonio Rock and Roll half Marathon, Novebmer 14, 2010, this was my first marathon!! I completed the 13.1 miles in 2 hours and 58 minutes, a 13:37 average pace. In the half marathon, there were 66 runners or walkers that were 60 – 70 years old and I placed 17 in that group, not bad for a 67 year old. I was number 9,462 of the 12,917 women and 16,120 of the overall 20,436 group. These statistics were not broken down by runners and walkers. I walked for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and raised $3,525.00 in donations from many friends, strangers and family.
This half marathon was an amazing experience and so I have signed up for the San Diego Rock & Roll Marathon to be held June 5, 2011. Now the question I have is whether to walk the Full or 1/2 Marathon? I hope to make that decision later this spring, but for now I am training for the half with an eye on the full marathon. I will attend the Kick off party tomorrow, where I will meet my new team members. Saturday, the 27th will be our first Saturday training program and so my feet will begin again.......
How did I get started with LLS?? Larry Olson, my late husband fought Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma cancer for 23 years; however, during those years he was blessed to be extremely healthy 95% of the time. Larry was able to see his children; Alexis and Erik grow up and pursue their career paths. He saw his son, Erik marry and was able to know two of his three (soon to be four) grandchildren. Larry was an avid diver; so many vacations were spent in at his favorite diving resort in Belize, Central America. He enjoyed life fully, loved his family & friends, took time for everyone and was driven to stay healthy. In October 1999, one year after he retired, the cancer came back, it developed into mantle cell lymphoma and he passed in February 2000.
I thought hard about registering for this marathon on my own and not with “The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Team In Training”. However, when I looked at the charity and how research helps all of those fighting these cancers, I was committed again. I know that Larry was able to live a 23 year “Gift of Life” due to research and new drugs that were developed after his diagnosis. This gift was a blessing and so are these charities that have helped so many others like Larry. So I will walk in hopes that one day these cancers will be an old memory.
If you are interesting in helping. My web site is shown below. I will update this blog as I begin this journey. Thanks for listening
Betty
