Counting down to Race Day!

My fundraising webpage: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/pfchangs09/ayates

Today was the last training before the race! Since all of the Disney people are doing their marathon and/or half marathon this weekend (go Andrea, Erin, Kate, and everyone else!), neither they nor the coaches were at training today. Emma was left in charge, a whopping eight of us showed up at Fletcher's Boathouse this morning. I've never seen the parking lot look so empty! Fortunately Elizabeth (who I had run with once before on the Mt. Vernon trail in Alexandria) was there, so she and I did an easy - albeit cold - six miles together. It still amazes me that I can put the words "easy" and "six miles" in the same sentence, but they really do train us well.

Since Erin wasn't there, Dave was kind enough to drop me off and pick me up at the boathouse. He was having trouble using the GPS without me on the way back to get me, so Emma and I sat in her nice warm car and chatted for a bit. It turns out that she worked for almost a year in the development office at my school (by the way, this office is directly above my classroom)! She actually remembers a lot of my coworkers. What a small world!

Another great coincidence is that Katie, Dave's childhood friend who currently lives out west, will just so happen to be in Phoenix next weekend to cheer on her friends in the same half marathon! She wants to hang out with us, which will be great, since we haven't seen her since our wedding a year and a half ago, and we probably won't get another chance to see her until her wedding this fall.

I'm still amazed that the big day is only eight days away. I would love for this week to fly by, but I have a feeling that it's going to shuffle along at a slow pace (much like I will after hitting mile 12). To all of you who have given me encouragement, moral support, and donations to my webpage, thank you so much. You have been instrumental in my ability to follow through with this training program. To anyone who would still like to help me or my cause, here's how:

1. I'm still accepting financial contributions to support the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's life-saving research. No amount is too small and every little bit helps (even $1 donations add up!) Find out more at: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/pfchangs09/ayates.

2. Give blood. Cancer patients often have to undergo blood transfusions after certain procedures, and our nation's blood banks are always in short supply. Giving blood is free and only takes about 15 minutes of your time. Find out more at: http://www.givelife.org/.

3. Join the bone marrow registry. You have to pay a fee to join, but the testing to determine your bone marrow type is simply done by rubbing cotton swabs that you receive in the mail along the inside of your mouth. Once you are on the registry, you will be contacted if you are a match for someone. The procedure is a simple, out-patient one that will help save someone's life. There are a lot of leukemia patients out there - many them children - who cannot find a bone marrow match in their families, and a donation from a stranger is their only hope at survival. To find out more, visit: http://marrow.org/

4. Keep me motivated! Post comments here or on my Facebook page, so I can have your good thoughts with me during the race!

5. Join a TNT team in your area and participate in an event. Not only will you get in shape, discover a fun hobby, and make new friends, but you will also be supporting a wonderful cause. Go Team! For more details, visit http://www.teamintraining.org/.


Thanks again to everyone, and be on the lookout for one or two last updates before the half marathon, as well as stories and pictures from Race Day!!

My fundraising webpage: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/pfchangs09/ayates