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See Dana Run! A Newbie Half-Marathoner with a Mission

By Linda | July 9, 2013

Running, like in long-distance-marathon running, has never been part of our family exercise culture. Skiing, tennis, biking, kayaking, swimming, gym exercise equipment, yoga, and pilates are more likely choices for this averagely active group.  (Lest I mis-lead or mis-represent, the youngest of three, Becca, does regularly run 3 or so miles, but not yet marathon grade.)

So when our middle child, Dana, an avowed non-runner, proclaimed she was going to run a half-marathon this fall, I was more than a bit surprised.  Here, in her words, is what she is doing and why, and how you can be part of her footwork and her fundraising!

Introduction:

Having passed my qualifying exams for graduate school this May, I am craving a new and less abstract challenge–one where I can feel a part of something bigger than myself, bigger than a dissertation (blasphemy?), perhaps.  So this summer I am training to run the San Francisco Nike Women’s Half Marathon in October as a part of Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training.

For those who know me well, I am no athlete, much less someone who cares for running.  So working with a team has been and will be crucial for helping me reach my own goals as well as helping me to work towards funding and finding treatments for blood cancer (as well as getting my bio-sociality on ; ) ).  I am running this race in honor and memory of my grandfather, Sam Greenfield who struggled with and finally succumbed to lymphoma.

I am committed to raise $1800 by July 13, 2013. So, if you would like to team up with me to help run 13.1 miles, please make your (100% tax deductible) donation by then.  All forms of support, big and small, are greatly welcome!

Visit my fundraising page here:

Now, in the words of my dear coach Al: “Now go do the damn thang!”

Update (July 2013):
80% of success is showing up -Woody Allen
A month ago I reached out to you to help me raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society–I’m currently training for the Nike Women’s Half Marathon with Team in Training (to take place in October).  The response has been wonderful and you’ve helped me achieve 92% of my goal–I’m $1,648.10 towards my goal of $1800!  Thank you all!

The training has been really fun and challenging.  I’ve been doing my long runs on Saturdays–I currently do about 4-5 miles at a time, which is great progress from having been on the couch 2 months ago (never been a runner before)!  The rest of the week I go to buddy runs on Tuesdays, track practice on Thursdays and I do cross training (yoga, spinning, weights) the rest of the time.
Before every group run or practice we pause to recognize our honorees–members of the team who are in remission from blood cancer.  Our team includes these honorees, who’ve gone through much worse than this training process.  When I (or my knees) feel frustrated by the process, our honorees’ experiences help me keep these tiny bumps in the road in perspective.
I’m also humbled to run with teammates who are running in honor of loved-ones who’ve recently passed away. One of our superstar team members started to run to help grieve the loss of his sister to Leukemia just this year.  You can read his story here.
We carry each other through a process that has different meanings for each of us.  I always thought running was a very individualistic enterprise, but I’ve learned that with Team in Training it doesn’t have to be.  So I continue to show up and “do the damn thang.”

Thanks all for the encouragement. If you’d like to help me reach or surpass my goal, visit my fundraising page here
This entry was posted in My Family/My DNA, The Confessional, Worthy Causes and tagged challenges, fundraiser, Marathon runner. Bookmark the permalink. Post a comment or leave a trackback: Trackback URL.
« Happy Birthday Milton! A Miracle of Modern Medicine
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    Linda Brodsky, MD
    Linda Brodsky Respected Pediatric Surgeon, Advocate and Mentor for the Next Generation of Women Doctors, and Founder of Women MD Resources

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