Robyn is running a marathon??!

You might be thinking that it's crazy for me to sign up to run a marathon. Never fear, I am thinking the same thing!

I had been thinking about expanding beyond the world of 5k races for a little while, and noticed that Team in Training was having informational sessions in Eugene this week. My friend Aaren from college trained with TNT to run a marathon with her mom, so I was not totally unaware of their mission. So last night, I went to learn more. I left a couple of hours later having committed to raise at least $1,500 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and finish 26.2 miles - the ultimate endurance event. I can definitely say the TNT presenters were excellent saleswomen! We spoke with former participants, the coaches, and the local staff.

So, I'm running in the Eugene Marathon on April 29th, 2012. My goal is not only to finish the whole marathon without dying, but also to surpass the fundraising minimum of $1,500 and raise at least $2,000 for research and an eventual cure for blood cancers.

I was moved to commit to the physical and financial challenges because TNT combines my selfish goal of completing a marathon with the wider (and arguably more important) effort to successfully treat and eventually cure not just blood-borne cancers, but all cancer. Advances in one area often translate to other specific cancers, and who among us doesn't know and love someone who has been affected by breast cancer, lung cancer, or prostate cancer?

This page will be a blog of sorts, with updates on fundraising progress and weekly coaching sessions. Our first group training run is Saturday, December 3, so expect to hear from me again then. And, as always, if you are able, I genuinely appreciate all donations of any size. I'm not a natural saleswoman, so I expect fundraising to be just as hard for me as the running. I know the requests from worthy causes are always too numerous for our resources, but please include mine among the others in your thoughts.

This was me in August after running my first 5k. Can't wait to share my post-marathon photo in April!