TEAM in Training

Z and me.

I'm most likely out running a "Valentine's Day" 7-mile training run right now as you read this.  

It's time for my shameless plug... I've started my marathon training with TEAM in Training and would love to have your support.  If you're interested, please see my letter below for more details, and feel free to contact me with any questions.  Thank you in advance!

Dear Family and Friends,

It is with great excitement and anticipation of sore muscles that I tell you that I am training for the San Diego Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon as a member of Team in Training (TnT).  My race date is Sunday, May 31, 2009.  While I am not the “marathon running” type, I do enjoy running.  I regularly do three miles on the treadmill at the YMCA, but my engineering education helped me confirm that 26.2 miles is way more than three miles.  In fact, my husband Jeff thinks I’m off my rocker for wanting to run this far, but he supports me 100%.  (He’ll be busy watching our 3 young kids while I train. Thanks, Jeff!)  

Normally, TnT participants run in honor of someone who is fighting blood cancer.  Instead, I’m running in honor of my Aunt Ann who unfortunately passed away 15 years ago to leukemia.  My mom and her sister Ann were best friends and she passed away much too early in life.  

If this is the first time you have heard of TnT, let me tell you what they do.  TnT is a training support group.  I’ll be meeting with the North San Diego County TnT Group for long Saturday runs and mid-week high-intensity workouts on a weekly basis.  The strategy is to build endurance and distance for the big day.  I’ll also receive training and technique tips, nutrition advice, run support (water and energy snacks), and best of all, encouragement!  

I have committed to raising $1,750 to support the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) cause and would love your help.  Your donation will help LLS’s mission to find a cure and save lives.  The money raised will pay for patient support groups, educational programs, research, and patient and community service.  Our economy is struggling right now, and like you, we are feeling the pinch as a family of five.  But whatever amount you can give will help continue the battle against leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma.  

The easiest way to make a tax-deductible donation is to go to my own personal Team In Training website to make a quick, easy and secure donation: 

 http://pages.teamintraining.org/sd/rnr09/wgarland  

Click on 'Donate' and fill in your personal details.

I would appreciate receiving your donation before February 27, 2009 so that I can track my fundraising progress and focus on training.  Of course, if you need some extra time, I’m happy to accept your donation after that date.  I’ll be posting updates right here on our family blog (jeffandwendi.com).  Thanks for being part of our lives, especially as I seek this significant personal milestone.  I appreciate your support and prayers for me and those battling these serious illnesses.    

Warmly,

Wendi Garland