Marathon March Madness!!!

Well February has certainly given us its fair share of winter fury here in the Boston area, but me and my DFMC teammates have our eye on the prize and are looking forward to warmer temps as we head into March and our final seven weeks of training before the Boston Marathon in April.

Speaking of having our eye on the prize, I have my eye on four pretty amazing prizes that YOU have the chance to win in March! Welcome to "Marathon March Madness" - and here's hoping the only madness is in the mad dash to donate and support innovative basic cancer research while giving yourself a chance (or several chances) to win these great prizes.  So here's how it works.

4 weeks in March.

1 awesome prize each week, building in size/value each week.

Each donation of $10 = 1 entry for that week's prize.
(i.e. $30 = 3 entries, $50 = 5 entries, etc.)

Donate during the week(s) that correspond with the prize(s) below that you would like to win. At the end of the week, all entries from that week will be placed into an opportunity drawing and a winner will be picked for that week's prize!

All proceeds benefit my goal of raising $13,100 for basic cancer research through the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge​

Now onto the reason you're all here...the prizes!

WEEK 1: March 1st - March 7th

2 dozen homemade chocolate chip cookies. And guys, I don't mean to brag or anything but my cookies are delicious. Plus, you will be helping to fuel my training because solely in the interest of sending the winner my very best cookies, I will have to make some extra and taste test them...
Retail Value: Yummy!
Donate Here

WEEK 2: March 8th - March 14th 

Alex and Ani "It's Not A Sprint It's a Marathon" Bracelet from their Charity by Design collection (20% of which benefits Dana-Farber!). My husband got me this bracelet for my birthday and it is the perfect mantra to remind me of my goals each day - both on and off the racecourse. I know this is one my runner friends and teammates will definitely be interested in, but it also makes a great gift...all while helping support cancer research! What's not to love?
Retail Value: $28
Donate Here

WEEK 3: March 15th - 21st

Coach Madison Phoebe Purse (brand new with tags). Okay seriously, this bag is gorgeous.  Ladies, it is the perfect neutral piece for all seasons. Guys, you may be more interested in the Week 4 prize but let me tell you this - enter for both Week 3 and Week 4 and you're off the hook when you bring your buddy to the game instead of her! And supporting cancer research is the one trend that never goes out of style!
Retail Value: $395
Donate Here

       

                  

                  

 

WEEK 4: March 22nd - March 31st 

2 Red Sox EMC Club Tickets with Parking.

Let me repeat, 2 Red Sox EMC Club Tickets with parking. In Boston. The parking alone is prize enough! These tickets have been generously donated The Kessler Group, and let me tell you - these are the BEST seats at Fenway. One level up, directly behind home plate, seat service for drinks and food, and then a full service restaurant/bar with private bathrooms behind you?!? Yeah, you could get used to that. Now I can't tell you which team will win, but I can tell you that scoring these seats while supporting life saving cancer research is win/win!
Retail Value: $650
Donate Here

Actual view from Seats 

Motivation Monday: T-Minus 8 Weeks!

8 short weeks from today I will be running the 119th Boston Marathon as a part of the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge (DFMC). While I have written/thought/spoken/dreamed/lived this phrase, with various substitutions for the days/weeks to go in the past 10 weeks, today it is different.

Because when I say it today it is the first time I really believe it, and the first time I can truly visualize myself crossing the finish line.  

So much of this journey has been about physical growth/training and raising funds for vital cancer research, that sometimes I have not taken the time to reflect upon the ways this journey is changing me as a person as well. My entire life I have struggled with confidence - something that many people find surprising given I spent more than ten years performing on stage and screen or that I seemingly have no trouble working a room. I am the girl who makes the awkward joke in a room full of strangers to break the ice, the person who introduces the two quiet people at the party and helps them start a conversation, and the one whose hand is always raised when a volunteer is needed. A wallflower, I am not. 

And yet, behind that seeming confidence I am always doubting whether I am [fill in the blank] enough.Good enough Skinny enough. Strong enough. The list goes on and on, and surely many of you can relate. However, I had underestimated the role of confidence (or more specifically, lack thereof) in my marathon training until hearing Dr. Grayson Kimball speak at our DFMC team meeting this past week. It was a "light bulb" moment, at a time where I really needed some light.

Two weeks ago I had an awful run. It was my first attempt at 16 miles and things just weren't clicking. As the record setting snowfall has restricted the amount of safe routes available, our group long runs have been confined to miles 17-21 on the marathon course - or what is more commonly referred to as "the Newton hills." This section of the course presents four rolling hills, ending with the infamous Heartbreak Hill. Reaching higher mileage on this route means several out/backs. And while there is no question that this will only make us all the stronger come Marathon Monday, it has still been quite daunting.

And so two weeks ago, as I approached my final ascent up Heartbreak Hill on 14.75 mile legs that had started to cramp up I stopped and said "I cannot go any further." I staggered into Heartbreak Hill Running company and called a cab to take me the final 1.5 miles to my car parked at Boston College. And then I cried. Well, bawled is probably a more apt description. Because I felt like I was letting down every single person who has supported me on this journey. Letting down every person I am running in honor or memory of. Letting down those who look to us for hope and inspiration as they bravely fight disease like cancer. And letting down my team and everything it symbolizes.

Instead of being proud that I had still ran my farthest run of 14.75 miles, I focused on the 1.25 miles I had not ran on that day. Instead of being grateful for my health and a body that had allowed me to move and surpass a goal I could have never imagined a year ago, I was angry at what it had failed to allow me to do on that day. And instead of searching for what could be learned, I only focused on the frustrations of that day.

Spending much of the weekend in a funk, I tried to look ahead to the coming week's training and brush it off. But that little voice inside my head kept asking "how will you ever run 26.2 miles when you couldn't even run 16?" My confidence had been shaken and in the process it made me realize that I had doubted myself all along. It seems that sub-consciously I had been waiting for this moment. The point where I would realize that I cannot do this and that I was crazy to ever think I could.  I realized that I had always been waiting for the other shoe to drop, or for someone from the DFMC staff to inform me that there had been a mistake and another runner needed my spot on the team.

And then something remarkable happened. We had our monthly DFMC team meeting and Dr. Kimball began speaking to us about our "mental training," and as he spoke it was as if he was reading my thoughts from the past two weeks. While I generally try to be a "glass is half full" sort of person in my every day life, I had been doing anything but in my approach to my training and even the marathon itself. Suddenly I realized that the biggest challenge in this journey hasn't been the cold, the snow, or raising thousands of dollars. The biggest challenge has been myself. Because I had never let myself really believe that I could be capable of a goal such as this, no matter how many times I said it out loud or wrote it down.

I had fallen into a  sort of "runners block" and as Saturday's group run loomed ahead, I had been dreading once again tackling 16 miles on the hills. But as Dr. Kimball shared the importance of setting ourselves up to achieve success versus finding ways to anticipate failure, I reflected on the many ways I had done the latter prior to and during that awful run two weeks back. Leaving our team meeting with a renewed sense of excitement and perspective, I spent the next few days reframing my mental approach to this challenge.

Saturday morning I awoke bright and early ready to take on the day. Watching the Rocky montage while I ate breakfast, I let myself be excited instead of intimidated by the mileage for the day, and then spent some time watching some of my incredibly inspiring teammates share "Why I Run." On the drive in I put on some of my favorite songs to get me psyched up and by the time I reached Boston College (where we park and run out of for this particular route), I was full energized and ready to go.

And then I ran.

I didn't think about pace. I didn't think about the cold. I didn't think about what I had done in my last run (or failed to do). I just ran.

And as the miles clicked by, I realized that I had found the joy that had been missing from my long runs. It had been blocked by fear and doubt, and by that little voice questioning whether I can really do this. In all the time I had spent researching sneakers, electrolytes, and training plans I had forgotten about the most important element of all - believing in yourself.

Oh and not only did I reach 16 miles, but I ran my fastest average pace yet.

Click HERE to Donate 

Monday Motivation: Meet Darla

We are now in the single digits (and not just temperature wise)! 9 weeks from today we run the Boston Marathon and while the weather remains frigid, things are really starting to heat up on the training and fundraising front!

If you missed last week's announcement, once some gifts in process post I will have SURPASSED my initial goal of raising $10,000 for the Barr program and innovative basic cancer research! "Thank You" doesn't quite capture how grateful I am to the many donors who have generously helped me to not only reach but exceed my initial goal. And in true runner form, once you reach a goal, well...you set a new one!  So I have extended my fundraising goal to $13,100 in honor of the half-marathon distance. With some exciting things on the horizon including my "Marthon March Madness" opportunity drawings- four weeks of prizes building each week in March- I am confident that we will not only reach but maybe even exceed my new goal, so keep checking back for more updates including how YOU can be a winner! 

In a week where "18 miles" looms on the calendar for Saturday's long run and the snow continues to prove a challenge, I have found myself drawing strength from the tremendous support and encouragement many of you have offered throughout this journey thus far. And while I certainly could not do this without all of you, I knew early on that if I was going to train for and run 26.2 miles I would need all the inspiration and motivation I could get. There are many factors that I feel set the DFMC team apart in this area and which makes it a true and special honor to be a part of. By now you are well aware of our mission and that 100% of the funds raised by this team goes directly to supporting the vital Barr program research. And I need look no farther for inspiration than the teammates running in stride with me each week as they are themselves cancer survivors or (like me) running in honor and memory of parents, siblings, children, and loved ones who have bravely danced with this disease. But at the heart of the DFMC is a very special component, one which actually gave me the final "push" I needed to submit an application for this team back in August. It is called the Patient Partner Program, and it matches DFMC runners with children who are currently or previously treated at Dana-Farber's world-renowned Jimmy Fund Clinic. Just before the holidays I received word that I had been selected for the program and I eagerly awaited meeting my patient partner at the end of January for our "meet your match" party. 

And so friends, meet all the Monday (and every day) Motivation you could ever need: five year old Darla Holloway.

My patient partner Darla Holloway at our "Meet Your Match" party

Darla is a whirlwind of energy, and from the outside you would find it hard to believe that this vivacious, funny, sassy kindergartner had spent nearly half of her life fighting Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). Thankfully Darla has been in remission for a little over 8 months and will celebrate her one year remission anniversary on May 21st, though she still has to have blood tests every two months to monitor things. As I sat with Darla and her family at our welcome party, I learned more about her journey from her amazing parents Sherelle and Daryl. They showed me pictures and shared stories from the day Darla was diagnosed and throughout treatment. They spoke of countless trips to the clinic, of Darla losing her hair and then some teeth from chemo, and they spoke of the amazing care they received at Dana-Farber. And through it all there was one constant- a smile on Darla's face. She is the sort of kid who lights up a room the instant she enters it, and as I learned more about her story and watched her "work the room" and make the other kids - many of them still in treatment - laugh and smile, I realized that there wasn't anything I wouldn't do and no distance I wouldn't run to see that smile and hear that laugh.

And in the past few weeks as we have talked on the phone and went bowling (Darla's favorite), I am sure that Darla is just excited to have a new friend. She has sang me the ABC's, counted to 100, talked to me about her baby doll, styled my hair (she gave me quite the 'do), and we have discovered we have quite a few things in common - we are both singers, we both dislike when banana is mixed with other fruit, and as Darla is a cheerleader (and I a former one) we are working on a special cheer for when I see her at Mile 25 on Marathon Monday. But what Darla doesn't realize is she is a game changer. Because before I was training for a marathon and raising some money along the way. But now? I am running so that no family ever has to go through what this sweet girl and her family have had to endure. I am running to keep funding the research and investigators that have helped result in cure rates of more than 85 percent in pediatric ALL. And I am running to see that smile on Marathon Monday - along with all the other patient partners -because let me tell you, there is nothing more motivating than that!

Darla singing "God Bless America" at a Red Sox game last year while still in treatment

Bowling with Darla following her All-Star cheerleading competition where her team took first place (hence her "fancy makeup" as she calls it) 

Click HERE to Make A Gift Towards the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge

Monday Motivation: The Big Picture

As I type this, yet another winter storm is bearing down on us. That's right, this is the THIRD Monday in a row that we have been pummeled by a massive storm and it still coming down fast and furious. For perspective, on January 26th we had nothing on the ground. Today, two weeks later, we have received over 74 inches of snow and counting. By the time the current storm subsides tonight, it is likely to have dumped another two feet of snow on us. Oh and another storm is headed our way on Thursday. Seriously.

Part of my goal in sharing this training journey with all of you was to stay accountable and also give a glimpse at what it takes to prepare for a marathon. However all this snow has been, and continues to be, a game changer. I am not gonna lie, the first two weeks of storms really threw me off my training game. Up until two weeks ago, venturing out into the pre-dawn chill for a winter run was more a mental challenge than a physical one. But once the snow came it peppered my once safe and reliable running routes with new and dangerous obstacles, particularly in the form of reduced roadways, impassable sidewalks, and towering snowbanks now obscuring intersections. I could go on and on about the (now) hysterical hi-jinx of 2-3 hour commutes and attempts to squeeze in runs the past two weeks, but I would rather share what I learned.

It is okay to get off track. It is okay to have setbacks. It is okay to be frustrated. It is okay to cry. It is okay to scream. It is okay to breakdown.

But it is not okay to give up, and it is not okay to come out of every situation all the stronger for it.

So this morning, as yet another day dawned with snow forcing school and office closures, my wonderful husband saved the day by suggesting I run laps around our neighborhood. It was the lightbulb moment I have been missing and needing these past two weeks. I had been so focused on the BIG picture (being unable to run in Boston as is my routine, the massive snow totals, falling off track from my schedule, etc.) that I couldn't see the solution right in front of me.  We quickly hopped on a computer to map out the distance and wouldn't you know, one lap around our 'hood comes in at just under a mile - .93 miles to be exact. And just like that, my problem was solved.  4 and 1/2 laps later and I had gotten in my scheduled 4 miles.  Without being run down by a plow. Without putting us in danger to drive five messy miles to the "dreadmill." And without any frustration or excuses.

You know what else? It was BEAUTIFUL. No really.

Running in the snow is actually very calming and relaxing, as long as you have the right layers and route. And with each lap, my neighbors braving the storm to clear driveways and clear cars would give me a wave or a "woohoo" as I passed by.  I can't believe I hadn't thought of this sooner, and thank goodness Dave suggested it- though I certainly feel silly that I let two weeks pass by without a seemingly simple solution that was right in front of me!

I imagine that the Barr program investigators working to study cancer and develop new approaches, treatments, and cures have been in similar situations. Surely there have been times that they have been staring at the big picture and then they look at things differently, and BOOM- a discovery is made.  I am reminded of this when reading about the work done by Barr Investigator Myles Brown, MD. By discovering the way estrogen works in normal tissues and breast cancers, this resulted in the first genome-wide map of all genes that estrogen controls. For the first time, this has enabled scientists to understand why certain drugs have been so effective in treating breast cancer, including the 33% improvement in survival for women whose breast cancers respond to estrogen. Dr. Brown’s work is expected to lead to new drugs and treatments for cancers that target critical pathways in breast cancer. His team has then used this information to discover new ways to treat breast cancers that do NOT respond to Tamoxifen. So often research is focused on developing new drugs and treatments (the big picture), but in this case because Dr. Brown and his team stopped to question why these drugs were working for some breast cancer patients and not others, they were able to make a major breakthrough.

And so the lesson of the story my friends, is to have faith that there is always a solution. Even when it might be buried under six feet of snow and take you two weeks to find it.

T-Minus 69 days.

Monday Motivation: Blizzard Edition, Part 2

Dear Winter,

We need to stop meeting like this. This is the second week in a row you have desperately tried to convince me that a Netflix marathon is more fun than that of the running variety. You have lured me with your promises of cozy pajamas and hot chocolate, versus running layers and power gels. But enough is enough. It was fun in the beginning but you have overstayed your welcome and this relationship has grown toxic. Please pack your things and send Spring to replace you immediately.  I hear there are openings in Antarctica and wish you the best of luck.

Sincerely,

Erin (and every other runner in New England)
________________________________________________________

No but seriously guys, I am looking out my window right now and there is yet another whiteout. Snow billowing everywhere, my local streets are impassable, and don't even get me started on the fact that this newest storm was due to taper off by now...but somehow it looks like the snow is coming down even faster/harder than earlier?!? Sigh.

I knew that training for a marathon through winter in New England would present its fair share of challenges in cold temps, black ice, etc. but I seriously underestimated the snow, especially after how light the past few winter seasons have been. Living in the suburbs where high snowbanks, reduced visibility, and the lack of sidewalks combine to create extremely dangerous running conditions has been an unexpected obstacle. Since I do the majority of my running in Boston, I take for granted the multitude of pedestrian walkways and running loops that the city offers me. For example, I recently learned that New Balance pays to have the Boston side of the Charles plowed out for runners (as this is one of the most popular running routes in the city) - how cool is that?!?  However, when the powers that be impose travel bans and/or appeal for drivers to stay off the roads, I am stuck staying put in the 'burbs. And my gym is closed meaning that the "dreadmill" isn't an option either. Frustrated is an understatement. However today's storm was likely a blessing in disguise as Saturday's frigid 14 miler left me with some unexpected soreness in my left foot which was still pestering me yesterday (luckily no pain today, phew!) so probably that this gives it another day's rest before back out pounding the frozen pavement. I will still put in a good core workout and some weight training now before the day is out, and tomorrow morning I will be back out tackling the streets of Boston bright and early.

While things may have gotten a bit off track training wise, they are moving full steam ahead on the fundraising front! Thanks to the generous support of those who purchased a "Super Bowl Square for Cancer Research," a $1500 donation was made to my DFMC page this past week and a $1000 partial corporate match is in process. Once this clears, I will be just shy of 70% towards my goal of raising $10,000 for the Barr Program!

Vital funds which help support investigators like Rani George, MD, PhD who discovered that about 10% of pediatric neuroblastoma tumors contain a specific mutation, leading to the possible use of drugs that have already proven successful in treating other cancers that have the same mutation. Neuroblastoma has historically been a very difficult cancer to treat in children, and, although chemotherapy and stem cell transplants have improved survival, relapse is common and nearly almost always fatal. With Barr support, Dr. George discovered that a significant number of neuroblastoma tumors contain a mutation in the gene ALK. Several successful drugs already exist to treat other types of cancer that demonstrate these same ALK mutations, and Dr. George and her team have initiated clinical trials that could result in new treatments that will improve survival for children with neuroblastoma.

Thank you for your support- together we are helping to make an impact and advance this life changing and saving research, and each day we draw closer to the ultimate finish line and a world without cancer!

T-Minus 76 days!

Fitting - and in honor of my Frozen loving Patient Partner Darla
(check out my upcoming post for more info on this awesome girl!)

Click HERE to make a gift in support of Erin's Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge

Click HERE to Sponsor-a-Mile with a gift of $126.20 or more