Cycle for Survival 2015

As I mentioned in my Surf City Half Marathon race recap, I am trying to concentrate on the rest and recovery portion of training. However, when I read about Cycle for Survival, I decided to do something that would have me cycling for two hours on Sunday, only one week post-goal race. Not the best recovery, but it's worth it, because I'm cycling for something much more important than any run or race.

I received an email from Equinox about Cycle for Survival and immediately knew I wanted to take part. The fundraiser raises money for Memorial Sloan Kettering, "the world's oldest and largest private cancer center," and 100% of funds go to research of rare cancers. Roughly 50% of cancer diagnoses are actually for rare cancers. That includes pancreatic cancer, which my grandfather had before he passed away from related illnesses, and all pediatric cancers. 

My closest friend passed away in April 2014 after an ongoing fight with a rare pediatric cancer. She was the smartest person I've ever met, but unlike most of the top students at our undergrad, she did not aspire to go into the financial or consulting sectors to get a big paycheck. She wanted to become a pediatric oncologist and help those who faced the same battle she waged in high school. Katie was re-diagnosed after we graduated, during her gap year. She postponed medical school for a year as she went through incredibly invasive and painful treatments. She was cleared for a year and went to University of Chicago Medical School, where she'd received a full scholarship. But her cancer returned in 2013, and despite a clear scan that fall, the follow-up scan in January 2014 gave a clear diagnosis. There was no new treatment to try. 

(source)

I wish I had gone into the sciences and could help with the incredible research being done at Memorial Sloan Kettering. As it is, I will do my best to support the work they are doing to help find new treatments and, hopefully one day, a cure for cancer.

This week, I am supporting MSK through Cycle for Survival. I've put together a team of coworkers who are also committed to supporting cancer research. In addition to my donation, I am cycling for the first two hours of our shift.  


If you would like to help me support the incredible work being done at Memorial Sloan Kettering, please consider making a donation to my team. If you'd like to read more about Cycle for Survival, please check out the Cycle for Survival website. 


Thank you!

Training Musings & LLS Flywheel Fundraiser

Hey guys!

Just dropping in to share an awesome event with you, and a little bit on my current running/training/life.

It was a gorgeous weekend here in New York, and Sourabh I spent as much of it outside as possible. Browsing the Union Square Greenmarket, training side by side with Amanda in Central Park, and running six sunny miles along the East River. The run was by myself after Sourabh left -- today was his first day of his summer position at an LA firm. I soaked up the sun and listened to the Beasts of the Southern Wild soundtrack (beautiful movie, beautiful soundtrack) while I pounded the pavement.

I'll only be seeing Sourabh for 2-3 days for the next four months, but between work, friends, and (possible) race training, I think the months will go by pretty quickly. And this week will fly by since he's coming back for the three day weekend and his birthday.



So, on the subject of running... I'm not sure I want to train for anything long distance right now. Several running friends have asked me if I'm planning on a fall marathon. As much as I loved training for the Chicago marathon, I just don't think that kind of commitment is possible with my unpredictable work schedule, especially when I need to take care of a neurotic dog.

Mason just couldn't face Monday morning.

And honestly, after all the hard work I put in to training for the NYC Half, it kind of sucked that a crazy work week of no sleep left me feeling like I was about to faint the entire time. I don't really want to repeat that.

I miss having a training schedule though, so I've been toying with the idea of training hard for a 5K. I enjoy speed workouts and shorter long runs (I've been loving the 7-8 mile "long" runs I've been doing each weekend) so I think it could be the sweet spot for me in terms of training this summer. Surprisingly, long runs still

I had so much fun catching up with Michelle over 8 miles on the Hudson two weeks ago.

I can join friends for parts of their long runs and still have direction to my running, which I enjoy, but I also won't be running for hours on end or need to get up at 5:00 a.m. to fit in the mileage.

I've been eyeing this 5K plan from the ever reliable Hal Higdon, but I want to focus on strength training for the next month or two and focus on building up some of the muscle I lost over a few weeks of minimal to no training. (It is shocking how fast you lose that, by the way.) Plus, a 5K in late July or early August sounds like it could be a disaster, so I think I'll aim for a September 5K and focus on building up strength over the next few weeks.

Anyway, on to much more exciting things than my running musings...


LEUKEMIA & LYMPHOMA SOCIETY FLYWHEEL FUNDRAISER

I am a big fan of Flywheel, but I don't go very often because I have a hard time justifying the price tag. In fact, I haven't been since the week before the Chicago Marathon.

However, when Kara contacted me about sharing a Team in Training fundraiser at Flywheel, I jumped at the opportunity to share the event in support of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Spend $45 to sweat on a bike for cancer research? Hell yes, sign me up.

And I hope you'll sign up, too. Let's all be sweaty together and support the incredible work LLS does. LLS isn't just researching cures for blood cancers -- their goal is to cure all cancer. Kara sent me this video about a new treatment study which used deactivated HIV cells to attack cancer cells. It's really incredible.

Oh, and in case you're a Flywheel aficionado and know each instructor's middle names (I know you crazies are out there...), the instructor will be the great Kate H. I have taken her class twice and she is a seriously awesome instructor. If you've never been to a spin class before, she'd be a great first-time teacher! And if you have absolutely no interest in sweating on a bike, you can always donate to LLS here and then eat brunch while we sweat. I won't judge you at all. Wait, Kara, is it too late for me to do that?

Here are the details:

TNT is hosting a spin-class fundraiser at Flywheel! We have 46 bikes and will be selling them for a $45 donation to LLS. To participate, please fill out this form. Please pass along to ANYONE!

Confirmed Event Details

Date: Sunday, June 8^th

Time: 1:30 PM

Location: Tribeca (415 Greenwich Street, between Hubert and Laight Streets)

Price: $45 donation to LLS

PS: Kara just went sub-2 at the Brooklyn Half! Go congratulate her on her and also thank her for the amazing work she does helping to raise funds for LLS.

If you are ever doing a fundraiser for cancer research, please let me know -- I'm always happy to share these kinds of things.

I'm Running the Chicago Marathon!

It's official! Yesterday, after a frustrating three hours of technical errors, I registered for the Chicago Marathon. On October 13, I'll be lining up to run my first 26.2 mile race through the Windy City.

(Actually, due to the technical errors, I'm registered three times, so I'm waiting on a refund for two of those. Don't really want to run 78.6 miles,)

This will be my first marathon and I'm extremely excited and extremely nervous. But as soon as I finished my first half-marathon, I knew I wanted to run a full marathon someday. And I realized that there would be no better time to train than when I'm studying for the Bar exam. Training will keep me from going crazy as I try to memorize New York tort law.

There will be lots of future posts on training, my plan, etc., but for now, I wanted to write about why I've chosen Chicago. I've been planning on running Chicago for a while. When I've mentioned that I was planning on making it my first marathon, several people have asked why, since I'm from Washington State originally and live in New York City now.

So... why Chicago?

1. It's flat
This is the least concern, but it was still something I thought about since I don't particularly love hills (translation: I hate them). For my first marathon, I figured it would be nice to concentrate on the distance without worrying about climbing up huge bridges or mountains or whatever.

2. I love Chicago
Chicago is one of my favorite cities in the world. If it weren't so freaking cold in the winter and hot and humid in the summer, I'd totally live there.

The architecture is gorgeous, the food is amazing, the city itself is so much fun to walk around, and the lakefront is an incredible beach right at the front door of the city. I've visited several times and every time I leave wishing I had more time there.

3. I have family in Chicago
My uncle lives in Chicago so I'll be able to stay with his family. Even better, my parents can fly out from Washington and stay with them.

my gorgeous cousin and her husband won't be there, but my aunt, uncle, and younger cousins will be! 

I really loved the idea of my parents being there to see me run my first marathon, but I didn't want to cost them a fortune. Plane tickets to Chicago are relatively inexpensive from Seattle, and without the cost of a hotel, it should be manageable for them. It will be wonderful to have Sourabh, my family, and Chicago friends there to cheer for me.

4. Chicago will have meaning for me
This is the biggest reason I'm running Chicago. And prepare yourself, because it's about to get serious.

My best friend from undergrad, Katie, is a born and raised Chicagoan who's currently in her first year of medical school at University of Chicago.

Before we met in college, she spent a year of high school being treated for cancer because she had Wilm's tumor. When we became friends, I knew she'd survived cancer, but it seemed like some horrible thing that had happened in her past, and now she was healthy and spent her time kicking pre-med's ass, writing stellar English papers, and volunteering for worthy causes.

After graduation, I was off to law school and she was taking a year off before heading to medical school. We had big plans for her first trip to NYC.

 

Then, in January of 2011, during a routine check up, it was discovered that Katie's cancer had come back in the space where one of her kidneys had been. I wish I could describe how great Katie is so you'd understand just how angry I was that someone as amazing as her had to face this horrible process again.

It took months of treatment and several scary initial failures with more conventional treatments before the aggressive treatments seemed to work, in late fall.

Through all of this, I felt helpless to provide more than emotional support via lots of emails and epic Gchat conversations. Mainly I tried to make her laugh as much as possible or send candy (thank you, Amazon Prime, for allowing me to get her candy corn off-season in 2 days). I was able to visit over July 4 weekend that summer, before we knew if her treatments were going to work. I remember flying home and being so scared at the thought that I might lose her.

Thankfully, by Christmas 2011, Katie was clear of cancer. I've never been so relieved... and thankful. I am so thankful that the most incredible person I've ever met is still here. I am thankful that despite everything she'd been through, Katie was set on continuing on to medical school, where she is today. And I am incredibly thankful to the institution and the people who made that possible: Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago.

(source)

That's why I'm running the Chicago Marathon to raise money for the Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. Lurie treated Katie both times she was sick. Throughout her treatment, I heard about the wonderful care and support they provided her.

This place is truly incredible and I cannot think of a better motivation to get through each long, hot summer run than to think of the children who are dealing with so much more than some humidity; the kids who don't have a choice in the pain they face.

My initial goal is to raise $750 for the hospital, but I'm hoping to raise much more. I am so excited to start this endeavor. I hope you'll join me by contributing to the Lurie Children's Hospital. If you're able to donate, here is a link to my fundraising page. Any contribution at all helps support this incredible institution.  

Thank you!!

I can't wait to share my journey to 26.2 with you all!!