Nike Women's Marathon--I Did It!

Wow, words just cannot describe the high that I am on after this past weekend in San Francisco.  So much went on, but it culminated in the fact that I completed the Nike Women's Half Marathon!  That is 13.1 (hilly!) miles on an incredibly scenic course through the city!

What an amazing journey this has been.  From the moment I was diagnosed with non-Hodgekin's lymphoma nearly 14 months ago, I knew that I wanted to run another event with Team in Training.  I have to thank my friend (and team mentor) Pam Costa for contacting me this summer, and encouraging me to join TNT as an honoree and participant this fall season.  I was so nervous to get involved, not sure I could handle the demands of the training, the fundraising, and the huge time commitment--and it really was tough at times--but I am so incredibly glad that I did it!  The support from everyone on my team--coaches, captains, my mentor Pam, my teammates--has been phenomenal.  They all have helped prepare us all so well; not just with the training, but helping with fundraising ideas, and especially with what to expect during race weekend, not to mention being there to cheer us on.  I can't even imagine doing a race on my own without the support of the team.  And of course, just as important was the support of my friends and especially my family.  I could't have done it without all of you!

This past weekend was so much fun.  The weather in San Francisco couldn't have been better: low 70's, sunny blue skies with puffy white clouds.  Gavin and I dropped Ewan off at my parents' house on Saturday morning and arrived in the city a little after noon.  We tried to check in early to our hotel (they put me up at the beautiful Ritz Carlton since I was the team's top fundraiser!)  Our room wasn't quite ready, so we left our bags and headed down to Union Square to the Nike Women's Marathon Expotique to pick up my bib and race packet.  People thronged the streets, and the energy was electric!  So many people milling about the different booths, all the race sponsors were there handing out samples of products.  We walked over to the Niketown store to look for my name on one of the 10 huge panels plastered to the storefront windows and after a few minutes of waiting our turn and battling crowds, we managed to find my name and snap a few pics.

Picked up my race packet at the Expotique.

I found my name!

Next, Gavin and I made our way to a nearby Italian restaurant and had a yummy (carb filled) lunch.  We finished around 3:00, then walked back to our hotel, but our room still wasn't ready despite it being check-in time.  They apologized profusely, and treated us to a round of drinks in their lounge while we waited.  We finally got to our room around 4:00, where we settled in, relaxed, and got ready for the TNT inspiration dinner.  TNT had arranged shuttle transportation for us to Moscone Center, where the dinner was held.  When we arrived, we were completely surprised and overwhelmed by the greeting we received: hundreds of TNT coaches, mentors, and captains from all over North America lined the lobby of the center as well as the stairs and entry to the lower level of the hall.  They were all dressed up in funky costumes, wearing purple and other TNT garb, and cheering wildly at the top of their lungs, clapping and ringing cowbells.  The noise was deafening!  We were amongst thousands of other participants in the Nike race, and everyone walking in was taken aback--I was overcome with emotion and my eyes filled with tears to see, hear, and feel the extraordinary energy in the massive room!  This video doesn't do it justice, but gives you an idea of what we experienced:

The program that followed was truly inspirational, and we heard from several fabulous speakers.  I was so incredibly impressed with every little detail of the dinner program, and so proud to be part of such a positive and wonderful organization.  Dinner ended early, so that we would have time to get ourselves ready for the morning and (hopefully) to bed early.  Amazingly, I slept just fine, after everyone warned me that I would lie awake all night due to nerves.  I didn't really feel nervous at all--excited, but surprisingly calm.  We set two alarms and arranged a 4:40 AM wake up call, followed by a 5:00 AM room service delivery of two double cappuccinos!  I ate my typical pre-run breakfast of Kashi cereal and a banana, donned my race gear and was soon ready to walk to another nearby hotel right by the start line, so we could meet my teammates at 5:45.

Lubed, dressed, fueled, caffeinated and
ready to run!

We were all filled with anticipation as we pushed our way through the jam-packed streets to attempt to find our correct corral (they try to group people by their pace, but it really was impossible to get to the right spot).  At 7:00 AM on the dot the race started, but it took us nearly 20 minutes to move one block to the start line from where we were standing!  The crowds were tremendous, but everyone's spirits were high and nobody was grouchy or rude.

Once we started, we made our way through an amazingly scenic course.  I ran accompanied by my running buddy Vidya, and one of our team coaches, Lisa.  We ran through financial district past the Transamerica Pyramid, all along the waterfront of the Embarcadero where we stopped to snap a few shots of the incredible sunrise behind the Bay Bridge.

We continued past Fisherman's Wharf, Fort Mason, along the Marina Green, past the Palace of Fine Arts and Crissy Field, then we headed up a big huge hill at mile 6 into the Presidio, exposing views of the beautiful Golden Gate bridge.  We then cut into the Sea Cliff neighborhood, where my friend, Lisa Brickley, jumped in to run with me for a mile or so and cheer me on.  At mile 10 we hit the Great Highway, which was a nice downhill for a while until we cut into Golden Gate Park at mile 11 for one last gradual, but difficult uphill mile as the fatigue set in.  Finally, we reached mile 12 (the "chocolate mile" as they were handing out squares of Ghiradelli chocolate!) and we looped back out of the park to head to the finish line on the Great Highway along the beach.  There were numerous TNT teammates along that last mile helping to cheer us on and run us in.  I crossed the finish line with my buddies, Vidya and Coach Lisa, holding hands, with a run time of 2:47:06.  Yes, I know people run full marathons in less time than that, but hey, I was happy!

We entered the pandemonium of "Finish Village" where we received the best greeting of all: a handsome San Francisco firefighter holding a platter of little blue boxes, who handed us our finisher's necklace from Tiffany and Co.

I got my blue box!

...and my finisher's shirt and necklace!

Next we picked up our Nike Finisher t-shirts and I spotted Gavin and the rest of my cheering crew shortly thereafter.  I was so excited to see Gavin, Ewan, my dad and our friends Kevin and Sara who had also come to cheer me on.  We all walked over to the TNT tent where I checked in and was rewarded with all kinds of yummy food provided by the numerous race sponsors, as I went back and forth between stretching my legs and eating the various snacks they provided.  I was so impressed with how organized and well-supported this race was.  I couldn't believe all the "stuff" they had for us.  After an hour or so, we finally boarded the TNT shuttle back to our hotel where we relaxed for the rest of the afternoon before heading to the victory party at Moscone Center, where we got to enjoy and celebrate our wonderful accomplishment.

So happy to see my baby as well as my
family and friends at the finish line!

For me, running 13.1 miles was just a small part of what I achieved.  More importantly for me was raising so much money for cancer research.  Initially I set out to raise $5000.  This was well over my required minimum of $1600 (honorees' get a discount--the minimum for regular participants for this event was $2500), but I knew I could do it and I was incredibly passionate about raising this money, as I know firsthand how this money makes a difference.  I set to work early drumming up support and reaching out to every network I could think of.  Thanks to the incredible generosity of my family, friends, colleagues, students' families, friends of family, friends of friends, and even total strangers, not only was I able to double my initial goal of $5000, but I nearly TRIPLED it.  That's right, once I receive credit for company matching as well as several hundred dollars worth of checks that I just sent in and haven't been credited yet, my fundraising grand total is an incredible amount of $14,228.18!!!   I am so proud and pleased to know that this money will go directly towards patient services, as well as research to find new and advanced medicines, and eventually a cure!   I am truly astounded, humbled and inspired by the generosity, love, support and encouragement that you all have shown me.  Words simply cannot describe how incredibly appreciative and grateful I am to all of you who touched me in some way along the course of this journey.  I send all my love and sincerest thanks to you all!