Post Boston Marathon Running, Fundraising Grand Totals & Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge 2014 !!!

Hi Everyone,

Is it really October 9th already? It doesn't seem possible that almost 6 months have passed since the Boston Marathon and the dreadful, horrible events of that fateful day. So much has happened since that day. I, personally, have tried to follow all the stories, news updates and Facebook postings regarding some of the victims from that day. Their stories of courage and perseverance have humbled me beyond belief.  I'm sure all of us, at one point or another, have seen the tremendous strides victims like Jeff Bauman, the Norden brother's Paul & JP and Celeste & Sydney Corcoran have made. I'm not sure how many of you were even aware of this, but Celeste's sister Carmen was a member of the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge team this past season. Celeste, her husband & daughter Sydney were all at the finish line waiting for Carmen. Celeste lost both of her legs while Sydney came very close to losing one of her legs, had it not been for the quick response of one of the many first responders who jumped into action shortly after the bombs were detonated.  Just a few days ago, I saw Celeste on the news again, making more progress in her recovery. She, like most of the victims who lost limbs, have been fitted with prosthetics and are making huge strides towards their new normal. Celeste has vowed to join Carmen at next year's Boston Marathon, at the exact same spot where Carmen was stopped this year, and complete the race that Carmen wasn't able to complete this year. "Boston Strong" has been and continues to be alive and well since the days shortly after the bombings. In all honesty, pretty much not one single day hasn't gone by that I haven't thought about the events of April 15th. I also stop and think about the 4 individuals that lost their lives that day: Krystle Campbell, Lingzi Lu, Martin Richard & M.I.T. Officer Sean Collier.

The events of this year's Boston Marathon impacted so many people, how could it not? The running community also was heavily impacted by the events of that day. Never before, in all the year's of marathon events, had something like this every happened. While I personally, up until this past Boston Marathon, had run in and completed 7 marathons, there were many first timers who didn't get the opportunity to finish the marathon. Roughly 5,700 runners were stopped somewhere along the course and were unable to finish the marathon this year. Marathons are held all over the country and around the world pretty regularly. Shortly after the events of April 15th, race directors and organizers from other marathons were reaching out to people who ran, but didn't finish Boston, inviting them to run in their marathons, giving them the opportunity to finish in their cities what we weren't able to finish in Boston. I was lucky enough to be one of 38 people invited on an all expenses paid trip to Pittsburgh to run the Pittsburgh Marathon on May 5th, just 20 days after the Boston Marathon. What an amazing opportunity it was for me to travel to Pittsburgh with fellow Boston Marathon non-finishers and represent Boston. We were treated like royalty in every sense of the word. Announcements were made on board the flights and people would clap for us. We had a private pasta party the night before the marathon at the Roberto Clemente Sports Museum. After dinner, I was one of 4 people asked to speak to the group about how the events of that fateful day impacted me and what it meant to me to be able to participate in the Pittsburgh Marathon the next morning. Each person shared a very moving and personal story and it really brought us closer as a group.  There's so much more I could say about the trip, but instead I'll show a few pictures highlighting some of the experiences of that amazing 36 hours in Pittsburgh.

Welcome sign at one of the hotels

 

A zillion signatures on a wall-sized banner for Boston

 

Each one of us received all these running supplies and gear

 

Each us of was mailed a bottle of wine "Boston Strong"

 

The back of my Dana-Farber singlet

 

4 hours and 45 minutes......Runner of Steel

 

 

On May 26th, a 1.2 mile run was held for anyone who didn't get the chance to cross the finish line on April 15th. It started at mile 25.2 in Copley Square and ended, rightly so, at the finish line of the Boston Marathon on Boylston Street. I would say there were roughly 1000 or so people that lined up that rainy, cold and damp Saturday morning to participate. There were a few notable speakers, a moment of silence, and then a choir of students from the school that victim Martin Richard attended, sang God Bless America. The run was organized in conjunction with One Run, a charity that started shortly after the bombings, to help the victims of the bombings. Below are some pictures from that day:

At the start with my fellow DFMC'ers!!!

 

About to cross the finish line (I'm to the left, next to my friend Alicia who's on my left in white)

 

Finishing "Boston Strong"

 

F  U  N  D R A I S I N G         G R A N D      T O T A L S     

 

If you will recall from my fundraising letter, my personal goal was to raise $7,000 and the team goal, which I did not mention, was to raise $4.6 million for the Claudia Adams Barr Program in Innovation Basic Cancer Research. Well, I am very pleased to announce that my personal goal AND the team goals, were not only met, but surpassed. Our fundraising total this year came to $8,892.00, that's almost $2,000 dollars more than I had anticipated. Collectively, in the 5 year's that I have fundraised for Dana-Farber, you have generously donated $31,209 !!!!!! Never, in my wildest dreams, could I have envisioned raising this kind of money for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. And as for the grand total for the team as a whole......well, here is the check presented to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute:

 



That's right.....$4,743,203.16 !!!!!!!!!!



 

So, as you can see, the team also surpassed the original fundraising goal. So again, I want to thank each and every one of you for your donations. Whether it was your first time or your fifth, I am truly humbled and grateful to you for your continued support and generosity.

Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge 2014

As I mentioned in my blog entry shortly after this year's Boston Marathon, there was no doubt that I wouldn't return to run the Boston Marathon in 2014 as a member of the Dana Farber Marathon Challenge Team.  Not because I need to finish the 26.2 miles or because I want a finisher's medal. As you can see from this blog entry, I was fortunate enough to participate and finish the Pittsburgh Marathon as well as run the last mile of the Boston Marathon back in May. I received notification a few weeks ago that I am a member of the 2014 Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge Team. I choose to participate again because I believe that goodness always wins over evil and taking action is better than not taking action.  With the passing of time since April 15th, I continually realize how very lucky I am to be healthy enough to train for and run another Boston Marathon. It truly is an honor and a gift to be in this position, but it's a position I couldn't do without your help and support.

I will honor those who were not as lucky by letting this experience soften my heart rather than harden it. I will move from the feeling of being touched by terror to the memory of being touched by tenderness by so many who, with courage and compassion, showed the best of our humanity. I too will do my part to show the best of humanity in all that I do. I will also be running again next year in honor and memory of Matty Dubuc.

 

Kerry & I, and many of my fellow DFMC teammates will see you again in 2014

Boston Strong !!!

 

 

With gratitude, appreciation and many, many, many inspired miles !!!!



BOSTON STRONG !!!!!!!!

With the tragic events from the marathon, I, like so many others, have been trying to process, and make sense of the unimaginable. So many times I tried to gather my thoughts and share them with you, but each time I tried, I just couldn't seem to pull them together. Kerry, my training partner, also kept a blog this season. A few days ago I decided to read hers because I was curious as to how she was able to encapsulate all the events of April 15th.  Kerry and I have been side by side, long before April 15th arrived. It was only fitting that we laced up our running shoes and cover the 26.2 miles from Hopkinton to Boston. As some of you know by now, I probably shouldn't have run the marathon because, 5 days before it, I came down with acute bronchitis. However, sitting it out was not an option. I owe a debt of gratitude to Kerry for running by my side that day. What you are about to read is Kerry's account from that fateful day. She did such a excellent job sharing our experiences that I asked her permission to share it with you. I promise to do my own writing going forward.

Beginning with Hope and Promise

Monday, April 15, 2013 began filled with hope and promise. For anyone that has run with the Dana Farber Marathon Challenge Team knows that arriving in Hopkinton to meet up with your 550 teammates is a pretty amazing experience. I met up with my teammate Mike who lives in Tewksbury and whose wife would drive Steve, Andrew and I into Hopkinton. She would return to Tewksbury to get their kids and neighbor’s kids and would be waiting for Mike at the finish line. We were very grateful for Mike’s wife getting up early and driving us. It made for such an easy morning. (In retrospect, I am also pleased that while they were at the finish line, they were not physically harmed.)

Many of us arrive at the start feeling less prepared than we hoped because of the many challenges we faced during the season. However, we arrive anyway and are ready to go in spite of our doubts. We have the energy and inspiration of our 550 teammates and 26.2 miles of cheering fans who will carry us from Hopkinton to Boston. We wear the names of loved ones on our shirts which remind us that the 26.2 miles we have in front of us is not as challenging as what cancer patients and their families face each day. We tape up parts of our bodies that need the extra support. We take pictures as a team and then there is also the “living proof photo” which is a group of team members who are either cancer survivors or are currently being treated. Wow! We cheer for each other and get psyched. Together we are making great strides for a world without cancer. 

DFMC TEAM 2013 (9am 4/15/2013)

As Charity Runners we are in the third wave. This means we start about an hour after the first runners. Our start time was 10:40am. I will always remember the sounds of hovering helicopters and the energy that is felt when thousands of runners take to the street and are doing so in “honor of” or “support of” other people. It really renews my faith in humanity. In the midst of all the excitement and celebration, I had no idea just how much of our shared humanity I would experience in the hours ahead.

Slow and Steady

We started off with a group of Dana Farber Teammates. However, my running buddy Steve was not feeling well. In fact, he wrestled with whether or not he should even be running for the days that preceded the marathon. He had bronchitis bad and probably should not be running. I think if he were just running a marathon to run for himself, he would have opted for the sidelines. However, when you run for Dana Farber and in honor of someone like Matty Dubuc (the boy that Steve runs in honor of) it would take a lot more than bronchitis to keep Steve or any of my teammates from running. It was probably by mile 10 that Steve was really struggling. However, his commitment to keep at it was so admirable and inspiring. As a teammate and a friend, I told him we were in it together and it could take us as long as it needed. Later in the day, we would learn that Steve’s bronchitis and our slowed pace for the day was actually pretty lucky. 

Kerry and Steve somewhere in Wellseley, MA

We saw my mom and my dear friends Lauren, Jen, Barbie and Bill in Wellesley. My mom Lauren and Jenn would then make their way to greet us at the finish line. We said, “Take your time, we are going slowly” (not that we needed to tell anyone that). Next up was Linn and her family. We were truly experiencing the magical magnetic force of the crowds and support on the course that help pull you to Boston. We began to measure our steps not in miles but who we would see next. We saw Sheila and Johanna at Mile 17 and then Glen and Adam. Hugs would fuel us as we then made our way to see my brothers, Lisa, Moe, and my nieces and nephew. There were more hugs and we were on our way as we crested the final hill in Newton-Heart Break Hill. We met up with some other DFMC’ers and rather than feeling overwhelmed with the 5 miles or so we had left, we stopped for a picture and smiled and said “Go DFMC” or something like that then we were off again. 

One of our last smiles-Mile 21

Fear and Confusion

Everything changed at about mile 22. Police cars started to race by us on the course. At first we wondered if someone was hurt or maybe had a heart attack. Then the police cars kept coming. Some were marked cars and others were unmarked cars. The runners made their way to the right side of the road. It was then we met up with Shifter who has run with DFMC many years. In fact this year was his 20^th year. He told us that there had been an explosion at Marathon Sports. At this point it did not sink in. I quickly asked someone for a phone because I did not have one. I know my mom worries and I wanted her to know that I was fine. It went right to her voicemail but I said I was fine. 

It was a few minutes later that another runner told us that bombs had gone off at the finish line and there were bodies everywhere. It was at this point that it hit me. My mom, Lauren, Jen and Steve’s brother and friend Ken were at the finish line. That moment will forever be etched in my memory. In a split second I felt terror. “Oh my God,” I thought, “did I put them in harms way?” I wanted to scream but was stricken by the silent screaming in my head that repeated “no, please no.” With all of my might I was wishing that I could reverse time. I wanted to just get to them and know they were ok.  I was very aware that I could not reverse time. I could not undo whatever had been done.  I was not alone. Steve and I were with so many other runners and we were all experiencing the same fear. Many of us did not have cell phones. However, those that did were so very kind and shared with those of us who didn’t. I will always remember the moment that a group of us stopped still in the street. We did not know what horror awaited us. In that moment we all grabbed hands and began to walk together. I do not know if I will ever know the names of the people that we locked hands with, but I will forever be grateful for the camaraderie of strangers who were united by our fear and found strength by sharing the little comfort we could provide each other.

Not sure where we are headed

We all frantically tried to get in touch with loved ones. Most of the people I was with had family and friends waiting for them at the finish line. I could not get through to my mom and I did not know Lauren or Jen’s numbers. When I was young I knew all my friends numbers. However, with cell phones I no longer know anyone’s number. Fortunately, I was able to also remember my dad’s home number and called him. He was then able to call my brother who had seen a Facebook post from my mom “bombs went off, but we are safe.” My dad called me back with the good news and while I did not know how we would reconnect, I knew my mom, Lauren and Jen were safe. At this point, I felt great relief but was also very aware that I was with almost 200 runners, many of whom were still frantically trying to get in touch with loved ones. It was very soon that Steve learned his brother and friend were also safe. We could breathe a bit easier but were worried about so many teammates and their families.  

For a while we walked back and forth on Beacon Street. We were not really sure where to go. There was talk that a bus would come get us and bring us to a safe place, but the buses were being used to move the National Guard around so it was not clear when. Many runners were starting to get cold and after running 24 miles it is pretty tricky to just stop without warm clothes and water. It is here we experienced the unbelievable kindness of so many volunteers, police officers and many spectators. I just remember being asked so many times “what do you need? Can I get you a phone to use? Do you need some water?” At this point all I needed was to be with loved ones, but having the knowledge that they were ok was enough. I would wait as long as it takes and would not complain about anything. I could only imagine what people were dealing with down at the finish line and throughout Boston. I was so grateful to be with Steve and a few other teammates and knew we would be ok.

A Synagogue on Boylston Street opened it doors to runners to get warm and to have a place to sit. I do not know the name of this Synagogue but will forever be grateful for their hospitality. I was reminded that regardless of faith we all share our humanity and this Synagogue certainly exemplified human kindness and compassion at its best. I was so taken by absolute strangers who once again were so concerned with making sure we had what we needed and if they could help. There were phones for us to use and computers to get updates to our friends and families because cell phones were not working for anything but text messaging. I am not sure how long we were there. As someone who does not spend a lot of time in churches or synagogues, I will say that I have never felt so welcome, so safe or in a place of such refuge. I remember thinking that this is what God’s house or place of worship (whoever you believe God to be) should feel like and not only in times of crisis.

It was at the Synagogue that I was able to post on Facebook that the buses would be taking us to the Boston Common. We had been told the city was on lock down and in particular the Copley area and figured that our families were likely stuck in the city too. I was not sure that my mom, Lauren, Jen, or Steve’s brother would get the message. However, I knew that we could try. It was then we were told the bus was outside. It was all so surreal. We piled onto a bus and were escorted by police. I do not know how to explain it other than it felt like we were at war. I guess we sort of were.  I looked at the faces of the people around me on the bus. Although I did not know anyone other than Steve, we shared this bond. We were all trying to make our way to loved ones. When the bus arrived the park was filled with swat teams and National Guard Troops. As I looked out the window I could also see my mom who had climbed up on a iron fence. I then saw Jen and Lauren. My eyes welled with tears. It was just a few hours ago that I did not know if I would see them and if I did, that they would be unharmed or alive. I caught my breath and stepped off the bus and just waved to them with a huge smile on my face. My worst nightmare had been averted. It was nothing more than luck that kept us safe but in that moment I just made my way to them and hugged them tightly. Steve’s brother and friend Ken were on their way and would be meeting us shortly. 

Getting off the bus

Swat teams and police fill the Boston Common

When Steve’s brother and Ken arrived, we learned that they were on Boylston Street between the two blasts. It was so surreal. Here we were standing in Boston on the day of the marathon and just feeling so grateful to be alive yet we remained so worried for the many family and friends of teammates and other runners that we knew would also have been in harms way. I am going to stop here. The story does not end here and I probably could go on for a long time retelling all that I remember. However, I wanted to choose to end with what I am taking away from this horrific event.

I will start with a great lesson that running always reminds me and that is we are stronger than we think we are. However, I will add to this that we often discover our strength through our connections to others. I am forever grateful to the runners, spectators and so many volunteers, police and first responders with whom I shared Monday’s horror. While I may never forget the fear I experienced, I am choosing to focus on the hands that grabbed mine to remind me I was never alone. I am choosing to remember the strangers that offered me their phones. I am choosing to remember those that continuously asked us if we needed anything at a time when they were probably also in need of something.

I will always remember the images of those who were injured or lost their life and their families. My heart will forever ache for the ways this hateful act has forever changed their lives. It could have been any of our families and in many ways they are our families. As runners, as a community, as a city and as a country we must do all we can to honor those whose lives were taken and support those who will have a long road to recovery. “Boston Strong” does not end as the news cycle fades. We must make a commitment to see that all those who are wounded or lost loved ones and their families “have what they need” not just today but also tomorrow and the next day and the next.

I will always remember that light always emerges in spite of darkness. There will always be bad people who do horrible things. I am not sure that we can ever rid this world of evil. However, the events of Monday and those that followed this past week have reminded me that goodness always wins over evil. Etched in my memory are the many first responders, police officers, volunteers and spectators that did what they could to save a life, to comfort a stranger, and help people connect with their loved ones. Through the many acts of courage and kindness the best of humanity emerged in the midst of such tragedy.

I will always remember what it felt like to be told someone I love could be in harms way and how helpless I felt. I will also remember the compassion I experienced from so many in the midst of my fear and how that brought comfort. While it was a different experience, I would imagine that families with loved ones fighting cancer may feel that same terror and helplessness when confronted with the unimaginable. I will continue to do my part so one day they will not have to feel that way.

I will return to run the Boston Marathon in 2014 as a member of the Dana Farber Marathon Challenge Team, not because I need to finish the 26.2 miles or because I want a medal but because I believe that goodness always wins over evil and this is how we do it. As the week went on I realized how very lucky I was. I will honor those who were not as lucky by letting this experience soften my heart rather than harden it. I will move from the feeling of being touched by terror to the memory of being touched by tenderness by so many who with courage and compassion showed the best of our humanity. I too will work to show the best of humanity in all that I do.

Steve's entry going forward:

 

I have to reiterate what Kerry said about knowing that Jeff and Ken and Kerry's mom and friends were waiting for us on Boylston Street, and hearing of the carnage down there, and not knowing if they were hurt or ok, was the worst feeling I've ever had to experience. It was then and there that I understood what the friends and relatives of 9/11 experienced when they knew loved ones were unaccounted for. Even when I think about it now, it sickens me. Luckily, by chance, they were able to walk away, and for that I am truly grateful. My thoughts and prayers go to each and everyone affected by the horrific events of that day, especially of the four people that lost their lives that day.

 

 

I too plan on participating in the 2014 Boston Marathon on Monday, April 21st. I think it's important to keep forging ahead because so many people depend on us to do so.

 

I also wanted to take this opportunity to let everyone know that as of this writing, we have raised over $8,700 this time around. And collectively, in the 5 year's that we have raised money for Dana-Farber, we have surpassed $31,000. So again, thank you so much for your continued support and generosity. Donations are still being accepted, if anyone would still like to donate.

 

I also want to send a special thank you to the Dubuc's; Johnny, Sandy, Chris and Zach for attending the pasta party the night before the marathon. I know how difficult it is for them to attend it knowing Matty's picture will be shown during the "In Memory" portion of the program. My heart goes out to them and I will always appreciate their continued support.

 

 

I also want to thank them for waiting for us at mile 25, even though Kerry and I only made it to mile 24 because of the events of the day. We really tried to make to them, but it just wasn't going to happen this year. I felt especially bad because I had asked Chris to jump in at mile 25 and run to the finish with me. I hope to be able to make it up to him some time.

 

Finally, I wish to thank all of you that reached out to my brother, Kerry and I, and everyone else that was there that day, wanting to make sure that we were all ok and safe. I was overwhelmed by the text message, Facebook posts and phone calls I received that day. It will never forget your acts of kindness!

 

 

 

 

With gratitude and appreciation.

 

Steve

 

Marathon Day Has Arrived

I just returned from the pasta party that Dana-Farber holds the night before the marathon. It is held in two ballrooms at the Copley Marriott in Boston. There were roughly 1,500 people in attendance, from the founder of the Barr program, Delores Weaver, to some of the physicians and scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.  Then of course, their are the runners and their family and friends, volunteers and, most especially the patient partners that several of the runners will be running in honor of. I can't think of a better way of inspiring the DFMC runners than with this gathering. It truly amazes me and I am reminded each time I attend the pasta party of just how much of an impact the DFMC program is and what it has meant to so many people.

Since its inception 24 years ago, the Barr Program in basic cancer research has raised over $56 million dollars. The first year there was just 19 runners on the team, this year there are roughly 550 runners. Through the efforts of the runners, donors, doctors and scientists and volunteers, we have given hope to so many cancer patients and their families. We were reminded that tomorrow is a time to celebrate and to reflect on all the accomplishments directly related to the Barr Program. Delores Weaver gave a speech and graciously thanked everyone in the room for being an integral part of something that was just a dream 24 years ago. She also told the runners that she would be on the marathon course at mile 7 and mile 17 tomorrow and told us to stop by her for a "high five" or a hug.

While it is true that each member of the team is running for specific people, there are those of us who are running for children, either those that are currently battling cancer, those that battled cancer and are in remission, and the children that lost their battles to cancer. This is a very powerful, moving and often sad time during the pasta party. The "In Memory" part of the program is first and it is where each child's picture is shown on the screen. 27 smiling faces were shown this year. I know how difficult it is for the Dubuc family to see Matty's beautiful and smiling face on the screen. My heart goes out to them and I really appreciate the fact that they choose to attend the pasta party knowing that this is part of the program. The Dubuc's, my running partner Kerry & I all wore our Don't Stop Believing shirts, in honor of Matty. As many of you have come to know, Matty continues to touch so many lives. I can't say enough about the admiration I have for the Dubuc's.

This is the picture of Matty that was shown.

Johnny, Sandy, Chris & Zach, along with my running partner Kerry!

Next is the Patient Partner program which recognizes and honors those children currently in treatment or those children who are in remission, and the runners they are paired up with. The name of the child and the runner are announced and they proceed to the stage. When all was said and done, there were 51 children and 51 runners on the stage. What a beautiful sight to see and a standing ovation was given to honor each and every one of them.

Many runners were recognized for their excellence in fundraising while other runners where recognized for milestone years being on the team, 5, 10, 15 & 20. This is my 5th year running for Dana-Farber. Thank you Sandy for taking this one of me.

Me and the rest of the team hitting the 5 year milestone

 

 

I could go on and on about how inspirational the pasta party is. In the 5 years that I have been on the team (plus the 2 years that I was a volunteer), I have met some of the most amazing individuals, all of whom have been touched by cancer. It truly has been an honor to be part of the DFMC family and I am a better person because of it. I couldn't help tonight but to think that back in 2007, when I attended my first pasta party, I really had no idea how much being on this team would impact my life. It most definitely has been one of the best decisions I've ever made. I also want to thank my brother Jeff and our friend Ken for attending the party. My brother Jeff has been to each event and has been waiting for me close to the finish line each year. I love you Jeff! 

 

Below is the team singlet that I will be wearing tomorrow. As promised, I have listed the names of each person that I was asked to honor this year.

 

Front

 

 







Back

Fundraising Update:  I am humbled by the fact that since my last blog entry just two short weeks ago, we have increased our fundraising total by $1,962 bringing the total to date to $8,352.00. If you will recall, my original goal was $7,000. How amazing is this? I cannot even begin to express how grateful I am to each and every one of you that have made a donation thus far. Keep those donations coming.

For anyone interested in following my progress along the course tomorrow, please do the following.

Text RUNNER to the number 345678.
When you get a response back, type in my bib # 23071.
Then you should get a text back showing my name.

You will get text messages when I cross the 6.2 mile marker (10K), 13.1 mile marker (half marathon), 18.6 mile marker (30k) and when I finish.

Lastly, I have done everything within my control to prepare for tomorrow's marathon, but, as luck would have it, last week I came down with bronchitis. I am still feeling the effects of it tonight, but not nearly as bad as I was a week ago. I have been doing everything the doctor said I should do this week to combat it and have been told that I can run but not to overdo it. I'm not quite sure how one goes about not overdoing it while running a marathon. As it stand now, I'm am going on the premise that I will run tomorrow. I have no idea if I am going to be able to finish, but I am going to give it everything I've got. I will line up behind the starting line in the morning and hope and pray that with 7 marathons under my belt and listening to my body, I will be able to see this one to the finish line.  I have enough inspiration from all the people I'm running for and the support of my friends, family and the half a million people that will be cheering all the way from Hopkinton to Boston. I also am motivated because I asked Chris, Matty's brother, to join me at mile 25 and run to the finish with me.

Please keep me and all the runners in your thoughts tomorrow. I promise you'll all know the outcome by the end of the day tomorrow, if not sooner.

It is still not too late to donate, so, if you haven't done so yet, please visit the link below to donate.
www.rundfmc.org/2013/stevep.

Off to Hopkinton in the morning.

With gratitude and so much appreciation.

In Memory of Matty Dubuc

Tomorrow is Matty's angelversary. For Matty's mom Sandy, his dad John and his two brother Chris and Zach, this marks the 6th anniversary of the day their beloved son and brother joined the other angels in heaven. Like anyone who has lost a loved one, this day comes with a lot of trepidation and anxiety. I feel for them each and every March 25th, and tomorrow will be no different. What I find remarkable about the family is their way of celebrating Matty's life and honoring his memory. And not just tomorrow, but all year. Since his angelversary falls on a Monday this year, they have things planned yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Typically, the final long run before the marathon always falls around this time of year, Jan Ross, the director of the running program and Jack Fultz, our coach and winner of the 1976 Boston Marathon, always make it a point to ask us to remember Matty and his family on our final long run, yesterday was no different. Jan asked Sandy if she wouldn't mind talking a little bit about Matty and sharing his story with the runners. Though there are many on the team who know of his story there are just as many first timers that don't. Below is what Sandy said:

"Hi my name is Sandy. You may have seen me and/or my husband John and oldest son, Chris, at water stops throughout your training.

This is my son, Matty. (This picture of Matty was on an easel next to Sandy.)













Matty was diagnosed with liver cancer when he was 4 years old. Throughout his 3 year battle, he endured so much more than just chemo, radiation, transfusions, etc. He had a liver transplant, 3 lung surgeries, 2 brain surgeries and his left arm was amputated 5 months before he passed away.

Jan asked me to say a few words this morning because since my husband and I ran with the team, the year after Matty passed, the team has continued to honor Matty on this weekend. His angelversary is Monday.

I just want to redirect your inspirational focus for today’s run. Every mile you log, I’m sure that you have an inspiration behind it. I’m guessing that the majority, if not all of you, are running for someone who’s been touched by cancer. And because every run is most likely about that person, for today’s run, I’d really love for you to dedicate it to the family members of that person, most especially, the siblings.

I have three boys, Chris is my oldest, then Matty and Zachary, my youngest. Chris was only 6 years old when Matty was diagnosed and Zach was just 12 days old.

Although Chris and Zach never went bald, had a port accessed or received a blood transfusion, they, too, suffered greatly. I always say that cancer is a family journey. Chris and Zach missed out on so much. They grew up too fast, they’ve seen too much and they’ve learned life’s hardest lesson at too young of an age. I know I’m not the only one who smiles through the pain or who’s heart aches with unimaginable pain.

I am so very proud of ALL 3 of my boys. And so, I ask you today to please think about my boys and the strengths it takes Chris, Zach, my husband and I just to get up each and every morning to acknowledge yet, another day without Matty.

I want to thank you all for doing your part in helping to imagine a world without cancer.  On a more personal note, a big thanks to Steve Poirier, running for Matty again this year. And I think Steve has something very special to ask Christopher:"

Chris is now 15 years old. I thanked Chris for giving up a handful of his Saturday mornings by volunteering and giving back (acknowledging that not many kids his age would do this sort of thing). As another thank you, I asked him to join me at mile 25 and run the last 1.2 miles to the finish line with me. Chris wants to run the marathon when he's old enough and I'm sure this will be a great way to make sure that seed gets planted and takes root! He said yes. I asked him to please be patient with me on the 15th and told him I'd try not to keep him waiting too long !

On a side note, Sandy's speech left the runners, not only with something to think about, but with tears in their eyes. It was nice to see some runners come up to her and give her a hug! It was a beautiful moment filled with love and compassion.

Besides Sandy, John, Chris and Zach, Sandy's mom Charlene and her dad Dick also volunteered at the 4th water stop, which would have been mile 8 on the way out and mile 14 on the way back. Oh, and of course, "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey, was playing loud and clear for each and every 2,000 plus runners on the course, to hear! Talk about inspiration !!!

 



Since I want to dedicate this blog entry in Matty's memory, I've uploaded a handful of pictures of him and his family.

 

So, as each of you go about your business tomorrow, I would kindly ask you to keep John, Sandy, Chris & Zach in your thoughts and prayers. My hope is that Matty sends them lots of signs!

 

Training: Short and sweet, well, not so much yesterday's training run, but my update this week. I did, as most of my teammates, log in 22 miles yesterday. Personally, I am very happy about that, especially after only being able to run 10.75 miles last Saturday. We are still anxiously awaiting the warm/nicer weather to show up. Hopefully, we'll get the break we've been waiting for on race day. Yesterday was cold and very windy. In fact, the first 11 miles we ran into a strong head wind. Only at the turn around point, mile 11, did we have the wind to our backs, some of the time. However, no matter what each particular training run has presented, as far as obstacles and challenges goes, no obstacle or challenge will ever compare to what cancer patients go through. In honoring Sandy's request to keep the families in mind, I along with my running partners, was able to see this final training run to its completion.

 

 

This is a picture taken after each of us completed our 22 mile run yesterday. I think this picture speaks volumes of just how much we love being a part of DFMC. Smiles, smiles and more smiles !!!

Together, with each of us doing our part, we can make a difference, one mile at a time and one donation at a time !

 

We have entered into the tapering phase of training. Each week since December, we have slowly increased our weekly and long run mileage to get to where we are now. It is highly recommended that we ease back on both. The objective is to give our bodies the rest it needs to prepare for the marathon. So, while we will still run between now and April 15th, it won't be anywhere near the mileage we've been doing up until now.

 

Fundraising: I am very happy to announce that we had another great week with donations. We are now at $6,090, which is an increase of about $800 from just one week ago !! I continue to be humbled and grateful by the generosity so many have you shown, not just with the donations, but also with the encouragement and support as well. Even though the training is coming to a close, fundraising is still a priority. With the marathon just 21 days away now, I kindly ask those of you that have been waiting to consider making a donation. As a team, we are about half way towards our team goal of $4.6 million. I have no doubt that not only will I reach my goal, but that with every one's continued generosity, I will exceed it. 

 

With gratitude and many inspired miles.....Steve



Time Doesn't Stand Still......28 days until the Boston Marathon !!!

It doesn't seem possible that we are just 4 weeks away from the day that many of us have been anxiously awaiting and preparing for, but there are so many reminders that, in fact, race day is fast approaching. First and foremost is the countdown calendar on my blog and on my fundraising page which reads 28 days and so many hours, minutes and seconds, depending on when it is viewed. I remember a time when those clocks read 4 months!!! Then there is the training schedule that shows just one more group training run next Saturday. Last week, I received my team singlet that all the DFMC teammates will wear on race day, along with a booklet with all the pertinent information regarding marathon weekend. RSVP's are due for the pasta party to be held the afternoon before the marathon and the RSVP for the recovery zone, a place where all the runners go to following the marathon, for food and the oh-so-welcomed, and needed, massage. The other reminder that really drives it all home, not that the training and fundraising haven't done that, is the email we all received from the B.A.A. (the Boston Athletic Association) advising us that we have been assigned bib numbers. More on this and how you can follow me on race day, if you want, later.

"Lost time is never found again."  - Benjamin Franklin

"It's such a shame to waste time. We always think we have so much of it." - Mitch Albom

I lead off with these two quotes about time because, to cancer patients, time is a commodity many wish they had more of. Whether it be more time with family, friends and loved ones, especially if their particular diagnosis is robbing them of that, or if the time they need is for research to be done, trials to be conducted and cures to be found in the particular type of cancer they are currently battling.

This week, through a Facebook group I belong to, Methuen High School Class of 1981, I read about a fellow classmate, Billy Corso, who passed away last Sunday, at age 50. Another classmate posted Billy's obituary for us to read and although it didn't go into specifics about the cause of Billy's death, the obituary mentioned donations, in lieu of flowers, to either Merrimack Valley Hospice, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, or St. Jude's Children's Hospital. They all have a common denominator.....cancer. Even though I haven't seen Billy in over 30 years, I made a donation to honor his memory. It was the least I could do. Billy's untimely death is yet another reminder that there is work to be done and underscores the whole premise behind the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge motto: the ultimate finish line.....A World Without Cancer.

Lucille Griffith, John Weston, Bill Paquette

Lucille Griffith is someone I've know for almost as long as I've been alive. She is my aunt, my dad's sister. Back in September of 2004, during a visit to her doctor, she was diagnosed with early stage cancer in her right lung. She underwent surgery to remove a portion of her right lung, then underwent radiation and chemotherapy for roughly three months and, shortly thereafter, was cancer free. She had regularly scheduled check-ups every 6 months. Then, in June of 2006, a spot appeared on her left lung. She underwent surgery again and had a quarter of her lung removed but didn't have to undergo radiation or chemotherapy. She also had a brain scan as well. I am happy to announce that she has been cancer free for over 6 years. Below is a picture of her, her husband Bill and her grandchildren Kerry, David & Cody.

John Weston is also someone I've know for most of my life. He is my uncle and married to Yolande, my mom's sister. In 2004, my uncle John was diagnosed with early stage bladder cancer in his early 60's. His doctors decided that the best way to treat his cancer was to inject tuberculosis into his bladder. He wasn't actually injected with TB, but given an injection of the tuberculosis vaccine called BCG or Bacille Calmette-Guerin, which produces an immune reaction that inhibits or treats early bladder cancer. He was treated on an outpatient basis and didn't require any surgery, radiation or chemotherapy. This illness is not true tuberculosis and is not communicable in the same manner as tuberculosis i.e. via airborne exposure. The risk of this side effect happening is about once per one million injections. I was amazed to hear that this was how his cancer was treated. He has been in remission since. He is the father of 5 children and grandfather to 10.

 

 

Bill Paquette is the brother of Dave, someone I had the pleasure of meeting and working with back in the mid-eighties. Dave explained to me that Bill passed away from cancer on March 11th, 2010 at age 52. His liver, pancreas and bile ducts were full of cancer.  Bill chose to withhold his diagnosis with his mother and siblings as he apparently didn't want to burden them with his illness. According to Dave, he never told his family that he was not feeling well, which must have been the case for several months.  It went from telling him family he was going to the doctor for some tests, to being admitted to the hospital, to passing away, all within about two weeks. It was sudden and shocking to Dave and his entire family. Bill never married and had no kids.  Bill had a love and a passion for fish and reptiles. He had snakes and several fish aquariums and continued keeping things like chameleons and even piranhas as an adult! He was an encyclopedia of information, and passed his enthusiasm for these things on to his young nephews. He also played the drums, owned a Harley Davidson and was a big NASCAR fan.

 

My decision to keep a blog this training season was in part to honor those individuals that are currently battling cancer or battled it at one time. I just think it underscores the importance of fundraising and reminding us all that cancer is, unfortunately, alive and well. It also reminds me that there is still work to be done and that people are counting on us to make a difference.

Fundraising: Well, true to form, you have not let me down, meaning that each new posting gives me the opportunity to report an increase in donations from the previous entry. At my last blog entry, we were at $4,800 in donations. As of this writing, we are at $5,370 and closing in on my personal goal. At yesterdays group training run, it was announced that, collectively as a team, we are at the 2.2 million dollar mark, which is right on pace for where the team has been at this time in prior years. As a reminder, the team goal is $4.6 million for 2013. So again, I want to take this opportunity to thank those of you who have already donated and ask those of you that haven't to consider making a donation.

Training: Training continues in a forward motion but, in all honesty, is consistently challenging each and every one of us. If you have been following this blog on a regular basis, you've read that this year's training has been nothing short of challenging. The irony here is that I am part of the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge !!!! This is my 6th Boston Marathon, my 5th as a member of the team, and this year, by far, has presented those of us training for the marathon, with more obstacles than we'd care to encounter. However, in the grand scheme of things, these obstacles are nothing compared to what a cancer patient and their families are dealing with on a daily basis.

Last weeks training run was canceled again, the forth time this season, due to the weather. That's one months worth of training! Had the run gone on as scheduled, I would have opted not to join in anyway because I was recovering from a really bad cold, the likes of which I don't think I've ever had before. Instead, I opted last Sunday to run 3 miles on the treadmill and 7 miles on the elliptical just to get some miles logged in. I logged 16 miles during the week before yesterday's group run. Yesterday was the second to last training run, along the marathon course, so I wanted to take advantage of it. The goal was 18 miles yesterday, however, after 10.75 miles, I realized that I was not strong enough to finish the run. Luckily, Matty's parents were volunteering again yesterday, and I opted to throw in the towel, keeping in mind that next weeks 22 mile run was more important. Actually, what's most important is getting to the starting line healthy. After the last runners stopped by the water stop Sandy & Johnny were working, I rode with them back to the gym where we started from. One would think it's a simple decision to stop running, but that is not the case at all, especially with so many runs canceled this season due to the uncooperative weather. To say my confidence at finishing this years marathon is shaken, is an understatement. With only one more group training run to take advantage of, I hope that two 18 mile runs, a 20 mile run and hopefully a 22 mile run this Saturday will prepare me for what it takes to run 26.2 miles on April 15th.  In years past, I've been able to log in at least twice as many 18 milers, 2 - 20 milers and the 22 miler. Couple that with the MCL tear I have, a cold which I've never had to deal with in previous years, and the 2 falls I had back in February, it's no wonder that I am less confident this time around. However, one thing I have going for me, other than the fact that I am running for a very important cause, a world without cancer, is that fact that I have 7 marathons under my belt.

Next weeks training run is entirely on the marathon course. So many out-of-towners would give their eye teeth to have the opportunity to train on the actual course once, let alone a handful of times, like those of us here in the Boston area are able to do. Yesterday, there were hundreds of people running along the course, this Saturday, there will probably be a few thousand, just another testament to the fast-approaching marathon. Below is a picture taken of two of my running buddies, Kerry, Elaine and me, on the portion of the course known as "Heartbreak Hill."  I'm looking forward to our last training run next weekend and all of the support us runners will have.

So again, I ask those of you who have yet to make a donation, to think about doing it in the next few weeks. Each and every one of us on the team are passionate about ridding the world of cancer. We are doing our part, but we need your help too! Please consider making a donation and being a difference maker!

You can click on my link here www.rundfmc.org/2013/stevp if you'd like to make a donation online to my secure web page. Checks can also be mailed payable to the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge, and mailed to me at 270 Littleton Rd, #44, Chelmsford, MA 01824.

No gift is too small !!!

With gratitude, appreciation and many, many inspired miles......

A New Milestone ....... the big 50 !!!!!!!

On this day, March 4, 1963 at 12:03 a.m, I entered the world. It doesn't seem possible that today I turn 50 years old. Maybe it's because I've always felt young at heart or maybe it's because I've been told on a few occasions that I look younger than I am. Or, it might just have something to do with the fact that in 6 weeks from today, I'll be running in my 8th marathon. As of lately though, my body is telling me that I am not the younger version of me that I would like to think I am, but I digress.

Whatever the case may be, what it really boils down to is choosing to embrace where you are in life. Did I want this day to come? On some level, probably not, but then I am reminded of so many people that were robbed of this opportunity. When thought of that way, it really is a no-brainer. Before I started working on this week's entry, I went online hoping to find something that would help put into perspective what turning 50 is or, more importantly, what life lessons should be learned by age 50. Ironically, Regina Brett wrote a list to "celebrate" growing older just prior to turning 50. She called it: 50 Lessons Life Taught Me. Here are a handful that resonated well with me:

Don't take yourself seriously, no one else does.
Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
Forgive everyone everything.
All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.
Your job won't take care of you when your sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
Growing old beats the alternative - dying young.

The last two really it home. I took it upon myself to throw myself a "guess who's turning 50 party" on Saturday night. What initially started out as a small gathering with a few close friends, morphed into a party with about 40 people, including family members, relatives, friends (from way, way back and recent), and people I have had the privilege of meeting since I took up this hobby called running. It was an amazing night, one I won't ever forget. I owe a great big thank you to 3 friends that I've know since I was a kid, Nancy, Paul & Margaret. I hope everyone is as lucky as I am to have friends like this. I love you guys !!!  Stay in touch !

And as for the second one.......well......isn't it clear ?????

My status update during the party was "Totally amazed at the turnout tonight for my 50th birthday. I'm a very lucky guy!" As a Facebook subscriber, while I sit here typing this latest blog entry, my phone is constantly beeping with Happy Birthday posts.  I am enamored by all the well wishes via text, posts on Facebook and phone calls I've received today. I have a so many thank yous to write this week. Life Is Good !!!!!!

Training Update: With only 6 weeks until the marathon, the opportunity to train for it shortens. Back on Saturday, the group met at the Boston Sports Club in Waltham. This is a course we ran about a month ago. Very scenic, but also very hilly. Even though I came down with a cold towards the middle part of last week, I decided to run anyway. When deciding whether to run with a cold, runners use the above/below the neck rule. Yes......there is such a thing. If your symptoms are above the neck (runny nose, sneezing, sore throat), then it is ok to run. However, if your symptoms are below the neck (chest congestion, intense coughing, vomiting, diarrhea), you are well advised not to run. Well......my symptom was mild chest congestion only,  so I ran. The first 45 minutes were rough, but once I settled into my pace I felt better. So good, in fact, that I was able to log in a 20 mile run. I was very pleased about this because up until this weeks run, my longest run had been 17 miles. Unfortunately, I've been paying the price since Sunday morning. I'm slightly better today and hope to be well enough to get in another 20 mile run this Saturday. With only 3 long runs left, I don't want to lose the ground I've gained, but it's more important to stay healthy too! My plan is to run 20 miles this Saturday, 18 miles the following Saturday and then 22 miles the Saturday after that.

On my blog, along the right hand margin, under the picture of Matty, is a training mileage log widget which keeps track of the miles I log. According to it, I have logged 433 miles since I started my blog back in December. I average about 30 to 40 miles a week, some running and some elliptical work. My guess is that come marathon day, I should be somewhere between 550 and 600 miles! I'll be curious to see what it ends up being.

Fundraising Update: Each week when I update my blog I'm also able to report an increase in the amount donated since the previous weeks entry. This week the increase is $815 !!!! I've said it before and I'll say it again.....I am so grateful for the donations I've received so far. As of right now, and because of  the generosity of so many people, we are up to $4,800, including the checks that I have at home that I will be sending to Dana-Farber this week. I asked people that were coming to my party to make donations to the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge in lieu of giving me presents. $400 of the $815 this week are because of that. We are just $2,200 away from my goal of $7,000. So again, I thank those of you who have already donated.

Another widget on my blog, located right below the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge 2013 widget that takes you directly to my fundraising page, is the Countdown to the Boston Marathon 2013 widget. According to the clock, there is just 41 days until we all take our places behind the starting line. It was announced Saturday that as a team, we are at the $1.8 million mark.  Please consider making a donation if you haven't done so already.

With gratitude, appreciation and many, many inspired miles.....
Steve

Running is the greatest metaphor for LIFE .......

The primary picture at the top of my blog states that Hopkinton, the start of the Boston Marathon, is where "it all starts." While in this particular case, there is truth to that sign, for me it started many, many years ago and no where near Hopkinton. I had no idea that single decision, to start running, would take me places, and I'm not just talking about places as in destinations, but places and experiences I most certainly could have missed out on had it not been for running. More specifically, running as a member of the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge Team.

How it all started for me: I dabbled with running, no more than maybe 5 miles at a time, some 15 years ago. I also lived in an apartment at mile 24.5 of the Boston Marathon course for 3 years and said to myself each time as I watched it from the sidelines....."maybe next year." But next year came and went from 1993 until 2006. That was 13 years of "maybe next year!"  Why 2006? Losing my good friend Jordan to pancreatic cancer in August of 2006, 6 months after diagnosis, at age 47 was one reason. This is Jordan and me in Palm Springs, February 2006.

Reason #2. Even though I had already experienced the havoc and wrath that cancer leaves behind on family, friends and loved one's with my mom's battle and eventual death in 1979 when she was just 37 years old, the truth of the matter was that I didn't believe I had what it took to commit to, train for and complete the marathon distance. My younger brother Jeff and my mom....circa 1973.

Reason #3. I was already approaching my mid 40's......if not now, then probably never really resonated for me !!! During the years that I chose to be a spectator at the Boston Marathon, I couldn't help but notice all the runners wearing singlets representing the different charities they were running for. Ironically, I don't ever recall seeing the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge singlet! But in September of 2006, I went onto the B.A.A. website and, under charities, found the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. And the rest, as they say....is history !

I titled this weeks blog.......running is the greatest metaphor for life because there is so much truth to this statement. Running quotes and metaphors abound........here are just a few of my favorites:

"Running is the greatest metaphor for life, because you get out of it what you put into it." - Oprah Winfrey.  I'd change it up a bit because for me, I've gotten a heck of a lot more out of it even though I've put a lot into it.....being a member of the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge Team ! Although 3 marathons I have completed were not associated with the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge, and the sense of accomplishment was amazing in and of itself, nothing pales in comparison to running with this group and for such an important cause.....A World Without Cancer!

"I run because it's so symbolic of life. You have to drive yourself to overcome the obstacles. You might feel that you can't. But then you find your inner strength, and realize you're capable of so much more than you thought." - Arthur Blank  Obstacles or excuses.......such a fine line as there have been many of both. But through inner strength, perseverance and even belief in yourself, you can reach your goals!

After two consecutive weeks of our group training runs being canceled due to snow falling on the days we were scheduled to run, and choosing to run indoors on the treadmill to log miles nonetheless, we were able to meet as a group yesterday and run along the Minuteman Bikeway in Lexington. Other than the half a dozen times that the path intersects active roads, it is a very safe and accommodating place to run. I can't stress enough how great it was to meet as a group again, be reminded why what we are doing is so important, (not that any of us needs that reminder), and for me to log another 17 miles in this weeks long run preparing me for the Boston Marathon, only 7 weeks away now!

As hard as training for and running a marathon can be, I love the fact and am grateful that I am able to make my small contribution to the greater good by running. With only 4 group training runs left, we will be working our way up to a long run distance of anywhere from 20 to 22 miles. The premise, and it's typically true, is that if you can run 20 to 22 miles, you can complete 26.2 miles. Even though, for me, this is not uncharted territory, it never comes easy and requires me, both physically and mentally, to go to a place I only go every once in a while. Although I do have experience on my side, I still get anxious when the time comes.

Before we set out on our run, we gather as a group to sign in, say hi, go through our pre-run stretches and rituals and hear announcements including thanking the volunteers for their help, reading one of the many Barr impact statements, fundraising grand total to date, upcoming fundraising events runners are having, and typically one or more motivational and inspirational stories. This weeks inspiration.........Banners.....lots and lots of banners, all representing children who are currently battling cancer. We also signed banners for two adults battling cancer; one for a runner whose father is battling lung cancer as a non-smoker, and the other for a woman named Carol who my running partner Kerry knows very well.  Everyone was asked to leave a note on each of the banners letting them know that we were running with them in mind and offering hope and encouragement.  There were a total of 15 banners !!!!! Here are just some of them.



I  N  S  P  I  R  A  T  I  O  N 



In life, it's not the cards you're dealt with, but how you play them.  In the five years that I have been associated with DFMC, I am reminded time and again, of people who had every right, justifiably so, to turn a life-altering event that could have left a negative impact on them, into something positive. As a community, we are all dealing with the ramifications cancer has played out in each of our lives. I think it's pretty safe to assume that if you have been around long enough, each and every one of us has either lost a friend, sibling, parent, child, co-worker or relative to cancer or knows someone currently battling this awful disease. Or, someone just mentioned, at some point in time, will be diagnosed with some form of cancer.

The Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge Team is really a melting pot of runners, scientists, doctors, nurses, caregivers, volunteers, donors and most importantly, the cancer patients themselves. All of us have something at stake: ridding the world of cancer. Every life is important. Each life cut short, because of this terrible disease, is yet another reminder to us all that a call to action is required ! We all can do our part. I am reminded of the saying "the whole is greater than the sum of it's parts." Every individual’s efforts added together usually don’t result in something nearly as great as the whole body of people working cohesively does.

Just as a reminder, The Marathon Challenge directs 100 percent of funds raised to the Claudia Adams Barr Program in Innovative Basic Cancer Research, which enables researchers at the leading edge of scientific sleuth work to achieve better cure rates and to enhance patients' quality of life. DFMC took its first steps in 1990 as one of the inaugural organizations in the official B.A.A. Boston Marathon® Charity Program.

We have come so far, but we are not done yet.

"Running is not, as it so often seems, only about what you did in your last race or about how many miles you ran last week. It is, in a much more important way, about community, about appreciating all the miles run by other runners, too." - Richard O'Brien  Here again, I can't help but think about being part of the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge Team and the collective, community effort each and every one of us, runners and non-runners alike, plays in working towards a world without cancer !

Fundraising Update: I am again happy to announce that with each new blog entry, we are making a difference on the fundraising front. As of now, and with your generosity, we have raised $3,985.00, including checks to be applied to my web page. It was also announced yesterday that collectively, the team has raised 1.6 million towards the 4.6 million goal! With just 7 weeks to go before marathon Monday, there is still a lot of fundraising to be done. I again want to thank those of you who have already donated. My goal next Saturday is to log 20 miles on my long run to get me that much better prepared to run 26.2 miles on April 15th. Will you consider making a donation this week and help me and our team get one step closer to a world without cancer?

www.rundfmc.org/2013/stevep.

With gratitude, appreciation and many, many inspired miles.......

Steve