22 Days and Counting!!!

That's about all that is left for me to reach my goal. Well this goal anyways. I sit back and think about all that I have been through over the years, My own battle with cancer, the struggle to get healthy again, going through the guilt of being a survivor when there are so many others around me losing their battle with this horrible disease. It's been a long hard road.

Even though it's been hard for me, I am drawn to the fact that it is so much harder for so many others. God let me breathe another day on this earth for a reason, no, for a purpose. I am 100% sure that His purpose for me is to give back however I can. I can't donate a ton of money personally, as I know that many of you reading this right now can't either, but I can donate my time, I can become a better person everyday.

I choose to do that by pushing myself to finish the Nike 1/2 Marathon in October, then the Wine & Dine 1/2 Marathon in November, and who knows maybe even go back to where it all started and do the WDW Marathon Weekend 1/2 Marathon again. Ya never know where the road will take you.

What I do know is that I will push myself through every one of those long 13.1 miles because of some great people who have lost their battle. For Christian a little boy I never had the pleasure of meeting in person because he was taken too young, But, thanks to his dad I have come to know him and be inspired. For Lily a 5 year old little girl who I only had the pleasure of meeting through post on facebook by my dear friend Angi and Lily's mom Melinda. For Jean a grandmother, mother and wife that lived many great years but cancer took her in the end. I will push to honor the memory of these fine people.

I will also push to honor some very special people who are fighting right now. For Talia, a 13 year old girl who is in the mist of battling 2 aggressive types of cancer yet still lives life to the fullest and for Jacob (aka The Leukemia Slayer) another fine young man who lives life with  cancer out in the open so that others can see what it is like.

These people are all inspiring to me and I feel that I need to do this for them!!

Together we train to beat cancer. So that one day there will be a cure!

24 more days....Will I make my goal????

24 days...that's all I have left to raise the remaining $1000 needed to reach my goal. I am so nervous. I really need to make this goal.Not for me!  At this point I'm going to do this marathon whether I collect the money or not. This is for the patients. For the families, for those who can not get out there and walk the miles I have walked.

 

Here is something my friend Deb found for me at the Disney 1/2. I still carry it everywhere I go.

Give me the courage to run the race.

Help me persevere as you taught us.

Grant me the strength to finish strong.

Honor me with your presence on my journey.

Allow me to be a Grace runner this day.

One more breath

One more step

One more mile...

 

Refocusing on WHY I am doing this crazy Marathon thing!! For Christian for Lily For Talia!!! For them ALL!!

So I sat down yesterday and reflected on my life and my journey to the finish line. After all there is NO finish line till there is a cure.

First thing on my mind was my own battle with cancer. I have never actually sat back and thought about it. I survived, it was a tough long road to battle, and it almost tore my family apart. That's all I even want to remember about it. However, I was talking with Angi F. (yup there is another one out there) a very beautiful women that started a program called Angel Snugs. They make hats and scarfs and such for children with cancer.  We were talking and for the first time in a long time I put a term on how I feel from time to time. Conflicted!

I'm conflicted when I see children like Lily, a sweet little girl only 5 years old that recently lost her battle with Neuroblastoma on June 10th 2012. Christian, another sweet Angel that lost his battle with Leukemia to young in life. and Talia, a soon to be 13 year old young lady, diagnosed with stage 4 Neuroblastoma and Pre-Leukemia. An amazing girl with a light in her eyes that sends a warm feeling to everyone who crosses her path.

Conflicted! That's what I feel from time to time. Why would GOD spare me and take home Christian and Lily?? I'm nothing special and these two Angels are. WHY ME!!!! I ask that so very Often. I don't know why, but I do know one thing. I am NOT going to waste on moment that GOD has given me feeling sorry for myself and questioning WHY?? NOT ANYMORE!!!!

My mission is to help find a cure anyway that I can. Whether it's through running my second half Marathon with TNT to raise money for Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, or running my third 1/2 Marathon and raising money for Angel Snugs. Or just going out there and raising money on my own for whatever cancer researching cause I can find. I WILL NOT WASTE WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN ME ANYMORE!!!!

So here is what I am going to do, and here is how you can help ! When I compete in the Nike 1/2 marathon in October, I will proudly wear the names of Christian Stafford, Princess Lily DeJesus, and Talia Castellano in a very special spot on my shirt.. because this race is for them!!!!

I am offering you as well the chance to honor someone you know who has been affected by cancer. For a donation of what ever amount you see fit, I will put the name of someone you would like on my race shirt. So help me to honor and remember those who fight, those who have lost and those who have won there battles with cancer. Donate today at http://pages.teamintraining.org/ncfl/nikesf12/run4life  (**UPDATE: This is no longer an open link. Do not use it to donate)

I know that just about everyone out there knows someone who as been affected by cancer. Help me in the fight so that not one more child, not one more mother, father, aunt uncle, brother, sister, or friend has to die at the evil hands of cancer.

THERE IS NO FINISH LINE UNTIL THERE IS A CURE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MILA Update

So it's been a little over a week since I started using Mila, and I would LOVE to say that I am FULL of energy and noticed a HUGE difference, but in all honesty I have not. I have noticed that I feel a little more energized up to an hour after consuming it, but then nothing. I'm going to give it another week, and I am going to up my intake to 2 tablespoons a day, that may be the problem.

In all fairness of this experiment I am also going to purchase another brand of CHIA seeds next week and see if it is any better or not.

Stay tuned for the MILA SAGA!!!!!

To Vegan or NOT to Vegan....that is the Journey!

So I decided to try a product called Mila. I'm not all that sure about it as I can be a bit of a sceptic. I'll try anything once though. Just look under my bathroom sink at all the crazy products that I have wasted money on that didn't do what it said it would. Go figure!

Well my philosophy of life is to just live it the way I want and base it on three factors. 1) Exercise daily! 2)Eat as clean as possible! 3) Be Happy and Love Myself!

So as part of life plan step 2, I am trying to find ways to eat clean. What does that mean?/ Well, that's a great question and I really don't have that answer just yet. For me it will be eating as close to the earth as possible...NO I don't mean eating my food off the ground... I know that's what you were thinking. I mean eating as much food as I can in it's natural state, and food that has come from the earth.

I did think about going vegan and at the advice of a friend I tried the engine 2 diet, Yeah ..no.. not for me. That lasted all of about half a day. I like meat too much. Now does that mean that I would NEVER think about changing that... no it just means I know my limitations.

So step one 1) choose one day a week to eat vegan. I can do that for one day. Step 2) replace one meal everyday with a vegan dish. Step 3) track my progress to both hold me accountable and to see how it works if it works at all.

So in addition to following me on my journey to race stardom, you can also follow me as I change the way I eat. All in the name of improving life.

Run for You, Run for Fun, Run4Life

Mila... is it really a Miracle Seed?.....

So, as part of my new eat clean philosophy, I have been searching the web for healthy earthy foods. I stumbled upon a product called Chia Seeds. I had been talking to one of my co workers about this crazy looking stuff he had been adding to his water called Chia seeds. Of course when he told me I had to make a joke about chia Pets.. Well laugh on me... it is the same seeds used on a chia pet...go figure.

Well about a month ago my Coach for Team in Training told us all about this product she uses and swears by called Mila. A much better form of Chia seed. wow that's 2 people I know into chia seeds. Hmm they must be good. Still I'm not ready to fork out $55 on a bag of seeds. I've gotten a lot better about not buying crap just because it says it's a miracle solution. I wasn't that way before though...just look under my bathroom sink and in my pantry at all those miracle workers I used once or twice than never again.

Coach and her friend in the Mila business decide to give everyone a free sample of Mila, hmmm interesting... try it FREE if you don't like it no problem if you do, and it does what it says it does we will sell it to you.. OF COURSE just MY luck, I missed that practice and went Mila less for another month..

Well, I have found my MILA!!  Yesterday I am at Starbucks (my favorite place by work) ordering my Chi tea Latte with NO water, and the lady that I have spoken to many times and I are having a conversation, Of course it leads to TNT... I talk about it everywhere. She says ohh is your coach so n so?? Why yes it is. Yeah I was at your practice and gave out Mila samples... (WOOHOO) So long story short she gave me the Mila sample bag.

So today was day 1...

I added one tablespoon of Mila to my morning smoothie. Didn't taste bad at all. Still trying to figure out if the seedy texture was just the Mila or also because of the raspberries. I have a feeling more mila than raspberry.  I kind of like that seedy texture.

STAY TUNED...

More Mila adventure to come!!!!!!!

Next up BUNCO BASH !!!!!!

Join myself and my friend Deb as we raise money to fight against cancer!!!

Bunco Bash - Helping others to beat the odds

• Host:
  Angi Lanciano & Deb Loughman
• When:
• Saturday, August 25 2012 at 5:30 PM

• Where:
  Mojo's Cajun Bar & Grill129 West Church Street Downtown Orlando, FL 32801

Tickets are Just $20 in advance & $30 at the door. Space is limited so get your spot at the table TODAY!
Ticket price includes one FREE Drink, Raffle, and a spot at the Bunco table. Plus lots of fun, prizes and laughter!

** Mojo's will also be donating 10% of their profits to LLS, so please come on by early and have an early dinner, or Happy Hour.
The theme for the night is Mardi Gras !!!
There will be a prize for best costume!!!
To purchase you advanced ticket please contact me at bunco.bash@yahoo.com