TNT, Dynamite.

This year I'm doing something I've never done before, or even thought about doing.

Train for and run a marathon. 26.2 miles. In San Francisco. 

My friend Katie did this last year with Team In Training and said it was one of the most incredible things she has been apart of. Of course I was proud of her. Then this year, she asked me if I wanted to be apart of it. Sure! I did a half marathon with her earlier this year with 2 days notice and finished it, 4 hours later. Even though I was so sore afterwards, I said that I was totally into going for the full marathon. 

At the info meeting I sit there waiting to learn how the training will be, how long I have to run for and how often. Now, I have never been a runner. I played soccer from elementary school all the way through high school. I could sprint for a while, but long distance and endurance were never my strong points. Needless to say, I was nervous.

As I'm waiting to hear this important and crucial information, Katie starts talking to the lady next to us who is interested in joining the team. She sounds excited and is asking the same questions I did.

Then she started telling her story.

Her husband passed away at the beginning of the year due to some form of leukemia. She was so strong in telling us how it has been such a hard past 6 months and how she wants to do something in memory of him. And through his memory also helping raise money to fund research and advancement of the cause of Team In Training (TNT) and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS).

It hit me like a ton of bricks to the chest - this isn't about me. Sure, I'll be the one running, but this group to which I will be training with is doing it for others. For those who are faced with a daily battle of pain, loss, experimental drug treatments, emotional highs and lows, and a questionable tomorrow.

It also came to me that my grandma, my beloved Grandma Brown passed from leukemia. Never before this moment had the connection been made. My Grandma Brown was one of my greatest friends and I miss her every day. She was so beautiful and wise. 

The journey of training will be hard but worth it. I will be running for a cause. For awareness. For a cure.

I'd like to thank the wonderful woman who shared with me that day for opening my closed and selfish eyes to what this really is about - something bigger than myself. 

Please keep those who are affected by Leukemia and Lymphoma in your prayers as their battles are harder than we can imagine. 

If you'd like to donate to the LLS, as I am, please visit my fundraising page. 

Thanks for listening. 

Here's a video I made of my grandma for her funeral. She was such a babe!