Well, almost, there was my i-pod and the occasional car whizzing by me as I steadily climbed the hills by my house. This week I was unable to do my long run with my team in training buddies because it was my plan to get away for a bit and go to New Hampshire to visit my cousins for the long holiday weekend. So I set off on my journey to complete my long run solo. While I do enjoy the company of my running companions, there is something special about running by myself. I get to be alone in my thoughts without worrying about keeping up a conversation with a running buddy, and I get to slow down and speed up as much as I like without having to worry about affecting my running buddies. It is harder though for me to get myself motivated to get out the door by myself, but somehow I managed.
Alone in my thoughts I began to think about the commitment I made to raise money for cancer and not to mention to run the marathon in San Francisco. Negative thoughts started to creep into my head like "how are you ever going to raise this money, and you are not good enough to accomplish this goal." I was beginning to doubt myself. But then I thought of my mother and her fight with cancer, I thought of all the other people who I know who have passed away from cancer and those who are survivors, I thought about all the people that I don't even know that are fighting cancer right now and I thought about their strength and resolve. I reminded myself that I just need to take it one step at a time and that I am truly blessed to be able to have the time, health and energy to devote to such a worthy cause. By the time I reached the end of the run I forgot all about the negative thoughts, I was done with my long run and I did it in the solitude of my own thoughts, my own body and spirit and being alone with myself on my run made all of the difference, it made me stronger.
As I reflect on my run and the thoughts that went through my head I became present to what it must be like for someone who is fighting cancer and the kinds of thoughts they must have and the power of those thoughts on their recovery and whether they are going through treatment alone or do they have the love and support of family and friends. 50% of the money I raise for LLS goes specifically to supportive services for patients and family members and 25% goes to research. If you would like to make a contribution to help fight cancer please go to my webpage http://pages.teamintraining.org/nj/nikesf11/kmarciano
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Sunday, May 22, 2011
First Training Run, Sunday May 22, 2011
We met in Princeton, NJ at the towpath by Washington Street; there were 5 participants, 1 coach, and 1 captain. Before we took off for our training run, Coach Les gathered us in a circle and asked us to share why we are running and participating in Team In Training. One woman shared that her father passed away from Lymphoma and she wanted to race and raise money in honor of him. Another veteran runner said that his father was diagnosed with Lymphoma recently but with only 4 chemotherapy treatments he is in complete remission. I shared that I was running in memory of my mother who passed away from cancer in 2005. I also shared about how only a year ago I developed a mysterious rash and my doctors were concerned about possible malignancy. I was lucky the doctors did not find any malignancy, but it was such a scary and challenging time and it made me want to do something. Running with Team In Training is my way of giving back and helping those in need.
After the introductions were complete we started off on our run on the Princeton Towpath. We ran 5 miles along the beautiful trail along the D&R Canal. We started off our run slowly and within a few minutes David ran up behind us. David inspired us all at the kickoff meeting when he shared his story about his life as an attorney in NYC, his success, his new marriage and his cancer diagnosis. David joined Team In Training soon after being diagnosed; sometimes his training runs were the day after chemotherapy treatment! David is not only in remission but he is vibrantly alive.
The trail was muddy and puddles seemed to engulf the entire trail in many spots. We hopped around the puddles trying to find the least muddy areas, but still I felt the muddy water seep inside my sneakers. But none of this mattered because we ran easily chatting and talking to each other about running and our mission to help people with cancer. Sometimes we came upon a group of geese just hanging out on the trail or in the puddles. One runner joked that the geese were going to outrun us! But we picked up the pace and they moved out of our way.
Before we knew it the run was over and we were back in the parking lot giving each other high fives. Countless times I have run a five miler, but this run was different and it put a huge smile on my face as I drove my sore muscles home. This five miler was special because this was the first one with Team In Training an organization of truly amazing people taking time out there lives to help others who are in need.
Maybe cancer has touched your life in some way, maybe you are inspired by my story, or maybe you would just like to be a part of the journey to make a difference in someones life, to be a contribution. If you are interested in donating please checkout my webpage http://pages.teamintraining.org/nj/nikesf11/kmarciano
Thank you for sharing in my journey!
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