I AM GOING TO BE AN IRONMAN FOR THE LEUKEMIA AND LYMPHOMA SOCIETY!!

It is my goal this year to raise $25,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society!

Since January 2000, I have raised over $30,000 for the LLS as a Team in Training Participant! Help me double that this year!

THIS YEAR MY EVENTS INCLUDE:

5/18/03
The Columbia Triathlon
Columbia, MD
(1.2 mile swim, 25 mile cycle, 6.2 mile swim)

6/1/03
The Suzuki Rock 'n' Roll 1/2 Marathon
San Diego, CA
(13.1 mile run)

Labor Day Weekend 2003
The Rock 'n' Roll 1/2 Marathon
Virginia Beach, VA
(13.1 mile run)

9/29/03
Tri America Tri
Orlando, FL
(1.2 mile swim, 25 mile cycle, 6.2 mile run)

10/03
Sea Gull Century Ride
Cambridge, MD
(100 mile cycle)

11/9/03
FLORIDA IRONMAN TRIATHLON
Panama City, FL
(2.4 mile swim, 112 mile cycle, 26.2 mile run)
** Through the Janus Charity Challenge**

1/14/04
the Inaugural Rock 'n' Roll Marathon
Arizona
(26.2 mile run)

It's going to be a very busy and extremely exciting year!!!

My motivation to complete these events stems from a number of people that I have met who have leukemia or another blood related cancer. One young man, Shane Sullivan, I met when he was first diagnosed with ALL, the most common form of childhood cancer. He was 9 years old and had a vivid imagination. He put a live goldfish in an IV bag and hung it next to his chemotherapy on the IV pole. Shane is now 13 years old and in remission. He is an amazing and a very tall young man!

A friend of mine, Ali Olshewitz, was diagnosed with AML about 1 year ago. She has been fighting so hard to survive. She moved from NY to Seattle to have a bone marrow transplant. She was given the gift of life and is continuing to survive. Her positive attitude inspires me to train hard! This year, her best friends put together a team of all of Ali's friends for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Light the Night Walk in NYC. The team was named the Hemogoblins! In honor of Ali, the 300 Hemogoblin members raised over $90,000. So, as you can see, Ali is not only special to me. What an impact she has made on this world! What a wonderful young woman!

And then there is Peyton Phin, a 2 1/2 year old girl who is the daughter of one of my Columbia Triathlon Teammates. She watched us at swim practice the other night. How great it was to be able to look to the side of the pool and see Peyton playing with her sister Madison! How precious she is! Her leukemia is in remission! She gave me a big big hug after practice! I love this little girl!

There are so many other people that I have chosen to run for in the past 3 years. I wear their names on a hospital ID band as I train and work everyday. They are the reason that I ask you to make donations to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. They are the reasons that I do so many events. I want to see a cure for all blood related cancers in my lifetime! Don't you?