Different marathon, same race against cancer

This week I had to make a difficult decision. While my training has gone well, fundraising has been a challenge. At a certain point, each participant who has not yet reached the fundraising goal is faced with a decision to either front the cost of the remaining funding gap themselves while they continue to solicit donations, or drop out of the event.

With a number of things going on in my personal life, I am not in a position to finish my fundraising effort related to Dublin. This is a HUGE disappoinment to me, but I have had a lot of support in this decision from family and friends, particularly those who have been actively working with me on the fundraising as well as those for whom I am doing this event. I will continue to work toward the Atlanta Weather Channel Marathon on November 27 and continue to solicit donations for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

I may not cross the finish line in Dublin, but I feel that I have crossed several finish lines in the process. I ran 20 miles a week ago Saturday and will do so this coming week, which I have never considered doing or being able to do, ever. I have gone way out of my comfort zone to talk to many people face to face, on the radio, and I even had a TV crew set up to talk with me and others prior to losing one of my major funding sources that I was counting on to close my funding gap. I have enlisted the help of many people who collectively have helped me raise a significant amount of funding for the LLS. Also, I feel that I have been doing something, not only for those in my family that have dealt with cancer, but many that I don’t know.

My campaign started with a metaphor that my sister who is battling cancer gave to the family which was based on the images of pioneers in the 1840s moving west who circled their wagons for protection as they camped each night, together helping each other on the journey. Of course, there were many people who didn’t make it all the way to the West due to illness, accident and other reasons. While they didn’t make it all the way, there were, nonetheless, many acts of charity and heroism that these people made along the way that helped others reach the destination safely and helped others establish their own sense of "Zion" in the West. On my own personal journey toward Dublin and helping LLS cure cancer, I was hoping to make it all the way. However, I hope that my contribution, while small compared to some, is still worthwhile and able to be used for good purposes.

My most sincere thanks go out to the many people who have given of their time and resources on my behalf and on behalf of the TNT program and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. As long as the LLS leaves my donation page up and running on their website, I will continue to solicit donations (click here). Best wishes and Go Team!

Minding the gap

Time to check in again. I can't believe how fast this is moving along. Saturday's run on 9-13 went well. It was "only" 14 miles. A few months ago that distance would have nearly killed me, but two weekends of 18 mile runs has put that into perspective. I never thought I could do this, but I am now considering another marathon after this in November as well.

I have to say that this process has been teaching me a lot about myself and continues to provide even spiritual insight to me as I "run with patience the race that is set before [me]" (Hebrews 12:1). I have definitely felt "feeble knees" (Heb 12:12) but the thoughts of all my family and friends for whom I am doing this have helped me hang in there. You can read about Stephen, my dad, Karen and others on the main page of my blog. I am especially grateful for all the kind donations that have come in. I am honored to have such a wonderful support team. I can do the running OK, but I need help with the fundraising. On the London Tube as the doors are opening you hear, "mind the gap." Well, I have quite a gap to mind when it comes to the funding of this particular race to cure cancer that I have commenced. Your donation can help close that gap and improve the quality of life for countless cancer fighters and their families. Thank you for visiting the progress page.

Pushing limits

Well, all that Auburn spirit that I talked about last week rushed by me on Lee County Highway 72 yesterday. I missed the AORTA running club in the AM on Saturday (again) because I had to help out with a kids' activity at my church, so I ended up running my 18-miler later in the day. Though the AU game was mid-day, I still waited too long. So the busy highway that I anticipated to be fairly empty was teeming with post-football traffic. With no shoulder and a steady stream of vehicles at 60 miles per hour, it was kind of scary, but I survived. I think doing the good-ol'-boy-country-wave to each driver on the highway netralized any what-in-tarnation-are-you-doing-out-here attitude that might have otherwise been prevalent. People in the South are polite, but they do have their limits. Highway 72 is one where I won't push it next time.

I am making progress on my training and I think I will be able to hit the 26.2 miles by the end of October. I am still working on the fundraising that I am aiming to complete by October 10, 2008 but I still need lots of help. Please tell your friends about http://carl4dublin4lls.blogspot.com/ and encourage them to make a donation. Thank you for visiting my blog.

18-Miler

On Saturday August 31, I completed an 18-mile run. I missed running with the Auburn-Oplelika Running and Track Association (AORTA) due to having to help a college student passed out on the road from a little too much Friday night partying. He was lucky to be alive and to have his truck that he was allegedly driving and abandoned in the middle of the road prior to passing out. Instead of the comaraderie of my AORTA friends, I instead got to ride on the Spirit of the community that was preparing for the first Auburn University Home game of the season. I have never seen so much community spirit across the board in any other town. Again, no hip lexor problem, but I did have a tight IT band that caused some trouble at my knee. Icing and stretching seem to take care of it though.

Fay not getting me down

Tropical Storm Fay has been doing her darndest to try to make life miserable. But I am still moving. We got to experience one end in South Carolina this weekend visiting friends at the beach on Seabrook Island. I went runing in what I thought was a pretty substantial break, but got a bone soaking downpour while working toward 16 miles. Yesterday, back in Alabama, we were dealing with the other end of the storm, tornado sightings and all (those warning sirens are LOUD--thank goodness!).

After a morning break for a tornado warning (a warning is when a funnel cloud is visible) with other coworkers in a central room with no windows, I was able to get back on the road and run 4 miles yesterday. The nice thing is that it was generally pain free. I have been seeing a physical therapist for the last month to work through some painful hip flexor muscle issues. Joel Berquam of RehabWorks in Auburn does amazing work. I have appreciated that he has done a number of triathlons, Ironman included, and so he understands endurance running and what I am up against.

Also, today is the day that I am going on the local NPR station to talk about the Team in Training program with Carolyn Hutcheson on her Community Focus radio program. In the interview I will share my fundraising campaign that I am calling DUBLIN: Think Purple! As part of my thanks to people who make qualifying donations, I will be sending them a FREE GIFT. I am hoping that this will help put the fundraising I am trying to do for the LLS on a faster track. Too bad I can't attach the campaign to Fay. Stay tuned.

Half Marathon Down!

Had the most amazing run today of 14.1 miles. Got an early start before the fog (at 72 degrees!) lifted revealing a 97 degree day with heavy humidity. The fog burned off at the end, so it was nice to be done! I ran through the agricultural lands of Auburn University located near my house. Gotta say, the beauty of the landscape gives the Dept. of Agriculture lands in Greenbelt, MD a run for the money. So, it apears mileage-wise, I can at least do a half marathon now. If only my fundraising was going so well. Donations keep trickling in. Thanks to those who have donated. If you are ready, all you have to do is click here.

Ebay Auction Ends and I'm on the Run Again!

Special thanks to Auburn University President Jay Gogue and his dear wife, Susie, for donating a football signed by Coach Tommy Tuberville himself. It was on Ebay for a couple of weeks, sold last night, and helped me get closer to my fundraising goal and making progress toward research for a cure to blood-related cancer. I am grateful that they decided to join my team. And in the words of my good friend Stephen Colbert (we are joined at the hip, like Rush Limbaugh and anti-gun control), "And so can you!" Just click here. Also, please tell your friends about http://carl4dublin4lls.blogspot.com/ and encourage them to take a stand with you against cancer.

Good news from my primary care physician and physical therapist. My hip injury is healing and I should be up and running again. I of course need to watch it closely, keep up good running form, getting rest, eating right and hydrating, but there doesn't appear to be anything serious. So expect some good things from me now.

Warmest regards (Dem and Repub alike! Its OK Mr.Colbert, we can have bi-partisan friendships--on our own terms, of course). By the way did you notice that if you left th "r" out of the word, it becomes fiendship? Not what we are about here . . .