Last post before I leave for San Francisco. (SuperShuttle is picking me up at 3:45 am, blech). Thanks to everyone for all the support. I will think of you as I run, walk, and possibly limp 26.2 miles through the city. I'm leaving you with a couple pictures that our local Leukemia and Lymphoma Society staff just sent around. First, mile 7 - the beginning of a large hill: Some of them look a little agonized, yeah? That's because they are climbing about 300 ft. Check out the elevation map of the course below:
If you're interested, you can also download a pdf of the whole course from Nike's website.
And the last picture. This one is hilarious. Since this is a women's marathon, they have lots of things that women stereotypically like. For example, they'll have chocolate and a happy foot station (or something bizarre-sounding like that) along the course. Somehow I don't think I'd be able to get up and start running again after whatever they do to your feet. By far, the funniest women-friendly thing they do is at the end, where you're greeted by firemen wearing tuxes and carrying silver platters with wrapped Tiffany's necklaces (instead of finisher's medals). Don't believe me? See for yourself:Jealous of my perks from companies that market to women? Comfort yourself with a little Sarah Haskins. If you haven't seen Sarah Haskins before, she is a comedic genius with a show on Current TV called Target: Women. Check out her 3-minute episodes on yogurt and cleaning products! Oh man, I'm watching them now and they are so funny.
OK for real I have to go pack. Stop distracting me.
Cooper's mom Harriet sent a memorial article written by his professor and mentor. The Macks have been in New York organizing a memorial service and exhibition of his work at Cooper Union. Read the article and see images from the exhibition.
You won't have trouble spotting anyone from the National Capital Area team on race day. We'll be pairing our bright purple singlets with neon green visors that are so bright they cannot be truly captured by my camera.
Sorry for being a delinquent about posting! I was pretty nervous before the 20 mile run, so my parents gave me their love and support. Mom shared the story of her first 20 mile run and her harrowing encounter with an aggressive, snarling Great Dane that wanted to eat her for breakfast. Dad told me to go buy some therapeutic beer at the 11-Eleven down the street (yep, that’s 11th Street’s own liquor store, coming at you through plexiglass 11 hours a day, 11 days a week).
Despite my parents’ useful advice, the 20 miles itself didn’t go well. The first 12 miles were fine, but I had to completely stop for the first time in our training runs because of a strange knee pain. I was disappointed that I couldn’t do the whole 20, but my knee is much better now.
I want to say a special thank you to those of you who have donated, helping raise over $4000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. On the 20 mile Saturday, I met one of the leukemia survivors on our team, a friendly man in his 60s named Tom. He told me that when he was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia five years ago, the five-year survival rate for someone in his age group was about 10%. Tom’s cells had a chromosomal abnormality called the Philadelphia chromosome that led to his leukemia – some of you may remember that our orchestra teacher Mr. Huneycutt also had the Philadelphia chromosome. But Tom is healthy today and training to walk the Nike Marathon with us because of a drug called Gleevec, a drug that was developed with the help of grants from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. So thank you all again.
On October 19, I will run the Nike Women's Marathon in memory of Cooper Mack. All money raised will go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, an organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research, education and patient services. Please join me by donating online.
Some of them look a little agonized, yeah? That's because they are climbing about 300 ft. Check out the elevation map of the course below:
If you're interested, you can also download a pdf of the whole course from Nike's website.
Jealous of my perks from companies that market to women? Comfort yourself with a little Sarah Haskins. If you haven't seen Sarah Haskins before, she is a comedic genius with a show on Current TV called Target: Women. Check out her 3-minute episodes on yogurt and cleaning products! Oh man, I'm watching them now and they are so funny.
