The Art of Patience

     Those of you who know me personally are aware of my fundraising with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team In Teaming (TNT).  I have participated with TNT for 2 events The Grand Canyon Hike in  2012 and last October's Hartford Half Marathon.  I hate fundraising.  I loathe the practice of asking people for money, especially in these economic times.  It sucks.  But guess what?  I'm doing my third event with TNT.  I am training for my fourth Half Marathon, The NYC Half  on March 16th.

     Some of you might be familiar with TNT.  TNT provides top notch  training resources to  participants to prepare them for an endurance event 5Ks, Half and full Marathons, triathlons, and century bike rides.  In exchange for the coaching and group training sessions provided within  the program, each participant must raise a minimum amount of money for LLS.  If the event is what I call "a destination mini-vacation", such  as my Grand Canyon event, LLS provides airfare and the hotel stay if that minimum  fundraising requirement is met.

     That was the attraction for me to TNT.  I had always wanted to  see the Grand Canyon.  I was not a hiker.  I was beginning my active lifestyle, and was excited about the training each weekend in a trail somewhere in  Connecticut with my fellow Hike team members, but was scared to  death about the fundraising.  However, I had just completed my first Half Marathon  and thought, "I can tackle anything now!"

     So I got to  work on my fundraising.  I sent a mass mailing out with SASEs, and was blown away by the response.  I held a Super Bowl Sunday Zumbathon  at Core Club, and was overwhelmed by the response to  that single event.  The community responded in a way that shouldn't have surprised me!

     That training season, as in  all the training seasons I have gone through, have had many bumps in  the road. Translation: injuries.  Injuries scare me.  I get anxious that things will unravel, that I will not complete my event.  This is where the art of patience comes in.  My good friend (and personal trainer) Sheila got me involved with TNT.  During my training for one of my races, she was working with me in  a training session, and I was frustrated because I was having various periods of pain  with my running.  She told me to stop running, rest a bit, cross train and/or walk in place of running  and to be patient. "You will meet your goals, we just have to  find out another way to get there."

     Why am I blogging today?  I have a back injury.  I was supposed to  attend a Group Training Session with TNT at Walnut Beach for a 6 mile run (one of my favorite distances). However, I am taking Miss Sheila's advice: taking a break, and trying to be Patient.  So, since my physical training calls for a day (or week!) away from running, I need to  use today for fundraising!  I will sit on  the couch with my back on ice, and finish those holiday cards and letters, complete with my fundraising website.

     I am appealing to  all of you in Durham and Middlefield, to  again support my efforts to raise funds for LLS.  LLS provides services for patients and families, including peer support for siblings, parents, and patients.  LLS pours a ton of money into research and lobbying for legislation for funding research and support services.  We have lost 2 children in  our little town to  leukemia.  The cure rate for leukemia in  1960 was 10 percent.  It is now 90 percent.  We are getting closer to  a cure everyday.  Help me honor these children and their families by donating to  my fundraising page.  I said earlier I hate fundraising.  I still do, but with each TNT event I do, I hate it a little less, and feel so  grateful to  all who  help  me achieve my goals in helping to  cure blood cancers.  Donate now.  Get that tax deduction, and help prevent the loss of another neighbor to cancer.  Happy New Year!

My fundraising page http://pages.teamintraining.org/ct/halfnyc14/mlavado

P.S.  As I shared last blog, I have an Arbonne website.  Between now and March 31st, I will be donating a portion of my commissions to LLS.  Check it out, or PLEASE pass this link onto  a friend http//mary.lavado.myarbonne.com

(I highly recommend the 30 Day Feeling Fit Kit!  I will be starting my 30  day Fit Challenge in January!  Stay tuned!)