Welcome to my training page...but, why is it here?

It's official, I have agreed to train for the Nike Women's Half Marathon and fundraise for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society via Team-in-Training.



Team-in-Training (TNT) is the world's largest endurance sports training program, providing coaching and support for people participating, in, among other things, marathons and half-marathons. TNT started twenty years ago when Bruce Cleland ran the NYC Marathon with some friends, in honor of his infant daughter who had been diagnosed with leukemia. This is TNT's 20th year, and during those 20 years, TNT has raised more than $8,500,000 for blood cancer research.



TNT participants can choose from a variety of events to train for and complete. I have chosen to run the Nike Women's Half Marathon, which is held in San Francisco, California. This year, the race is on October 19, 2008. On that day, I will be running 13.1 miles. The Nike Marathon (and half-marathon) actually has partnered with TNT and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, so all the participants in the Nike Marathon are running to raise money for blood cancer research (although, not all Nike Marathon runners are training with TNT). This year, there will be over 20,000 runners. The 2007 Nike Marathon raised $18.5 million for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.



As a TNT participant, I will be running five days a week for 23 weeks (from May 11 to October 19) to prepare for the half-marathon, and I will be working to raise $4,000 for LLS. Of the funds I raise, at least 75% goes directly to research for cures and treatments for various blood cancers.



Why am I running? Early this year, Jan Giesa, the wife of John Giesa, one of the partners at the law firm where I work, was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. At my first Reed & Giesa holiday party, Jan made a point of letting me know that she had heard great things about me from the partners and the firm. I was still in law school at the time and was basically hating life (for those of you who went to law school, you can sympathize). I was also the only law clerk in a firm with no female attorneys and no members of the professional staff who were my age. Going to that first firm event, I was a bit apprehensive, particularly about how all the partners wives would react to me (did I mention that not only am I the only female attorney here, but also the only associate attorney?). Jan (and all the wives) was very sweet to me, but Jan especially made a point of making me feel welcome. She has continued to do so from that party in 2005 until now.



John told us all at the firm about Jan's diagnosis, and I initially didn't know how to react. I cried in my office, but couldn't think of the right words to say (this coming from a litigator and a girl with a Masters in English Literature). I have been pretty lucky through this point in my life that no one really close to me has passed away. Both sets of my grandparents always lived far away, so we didn't get to see them as often, and they all lived long full lives, so it wasn't as tragic as it could have been for me. My parents, sisters, nephews, and niece are all here, as well as aunts, uncles, and cousins. I think the news of Jan's diagnosis really hit home because she always seemed so gracious and vibrant when I saw her. It was a hard realization that someone you just expect to be doing well is now very sick. Less than a month before her diagnosis, I sat next to her at another firm holiday party, and she was the sweet, engaging woman I knew her to be.


Her diagnosis came right before I turned 30, and I had been whining and complaining and generally feeling down about being 30 (and lying about my age); about huge student loan bills; about not being able to afford a pair of Christian Louboutin stilettos; about whether or not I was getting crow's feet; and about whether or not I was too young to start buying anti-wrinkle eye cream. I am fairly certain that I had told someone that my life was pretty much over at that point. Being confronted with Jan's diagnosis really made me stop and think and PRIORITIZE. I was 30. I was not dead. I was healthy, done with school, and actually doing what I had always said I would do since I was a little girl (yes, I've wanted to be a lawyer since I was in grade school). I had worked off most of my law library gut, and I had a long and bright future ahead of me. So, when I learned about the opportunity to run with TNT to raise money for LLS, I asked Jan if I could run for her. As soon as she agreed, I signed up with TNT and started running.



During the TNT informational meeting, our Campaign Coordinator, Erik Nordstrom, shared with us this quote, "You have not lived until you have helped someone who can never repay you." I think that pretty much sums up what TNT is all about and why I am running. Please help me help TNT and LLS raise money for blood cancer research. I have to do all the running--all you need to do is make a donation. All donations are tax deductible (and you'll get a receipt for tax purposes). You can see my fundraising progress on my personal fundraising page: http://pages.teamintraining.org/wa/nikesf08/rhaynes. You can even make donations online on my fundraising site with your credit card. Feel free to send any of your friends, family members, and co-workers the link to my fundraising page.



I'll be updating this page regularly--to keep you informed about my training and my fundraising progress. I am happy to report that after a course of intense chemotherapy, Jan is most likely in remission (I will keep you updated on her as well).