Middle of the week already, wow! Hope you are having a good one. I am keeping busy and trying to get back to “normal” for the next couple weeks before I take off traveling again for work. Last night, Bobby and I hit up the gym for some weight lifting, and today I will start running again.
As a lot of you know, I ran a half marathon this past weekend with Team in Training. My mother is a Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma survivor, and I wanted to run this race for her and also for my aunt who had the same diagnosis. I have gotten several questions from people about Team in Training since I joined back in May. If you have a question please feel free to e mail me or leave it in the comments section, I would be happy to answer!
Today I want to tell you a little about the inspiration dinner. The night before each TNT event, there is an inspiration dinner/pasta party. You eat, socialize, and hear inspiring stories about survivors, those who are no longer with us, and what we have done to help advance research for finding a cure.
This half marathon was small, and was opened up as a TNT event for LA and MS TNT members only (not nationwide like some of the bigger races.) There were 78 participants running in this particular race, and the dinner was at the hotel we were staying at in my hometown. I invited my parents to join us for the dinner, and we had a good time!
When you walk through the doors, all the coaches and mentors are there cheering, screaming, ringing bells, clapping, and basically going crazy as you walk through the hallway into the banquet area. We got our food (buffet style spaghetti dinner) and chose a table.
Look at the great decorations!
Quintin, our honored patient, left as a drawing at our place setting. How cute!
They had a slideshow playing while we ate, and I had sent in some pictures of my mom and our family and they came up on the slideshow under the “in honor of” section. When the program began, everyone was welcomed, and then we were told that the 78 of us raised $88,000 dollars for cancer research! They also had all the cancer survivors in the room stand up, and they were given a huge round of applause. As my mom stood up, of course, she starts crying…so then I start crying!
They had a main speaker for the night, a man who lost his 17 year old daughter to leukemia last year. They played a slideshow in the background as he talked, and it was so sad to see this beautiful girl with bright red hair go bald, look so sick in the hospital bed, and then pass away. I don’t think there was a dry eye in the room as he spoke of her bravery and positive attitude through the whole ordeal. He went on to run a half with TNT and is training for the full Rock N Roll Savannah race in November.
We ended the night with some final race instructions (wake up call of 4 am!) and each individual chapter met with their coaches for a final pep talk. It was well put on, and I can see how some of the really big events would be even more fun! I left feeling inspired and ready to run. I knew that during those tough miles, thinking of these people, and the pain they went through/are going through would help me finish the race.
QOTD: What or who inspires you to run/workout/be healthy? a family member? blogger? a goal you are trying to reach? A cause you raise money for?
Love that you were able to run in honor of your mom. I ran my first half marathon with Team in Training and loved every minute of it. The inspiration dinner was very inspiring and makes you realize that your fundraising efforts do make a difference! Way to go!
That dinner sounds amazing! I always think of people in my family who have been battling illnesses when it gets tough during a race. I read about a program last year that lets you donate your race medals to children battling terrible diseases. I am SO tempted to do that!
The loss of two beloved aunts to cancer is what inspires me to be healthy. Sometimes I feel that if they had lived a healthier life than maybe they would still be with us today.
How cool to run this race for your mom and your aunt! The dinner sounds so inspirational!! It is so great you were able to use your racing to help raise money for cancer research!
Sounds like a great dinner experience. I am so glad you are doing this in honor of your mom and aunt!