Number of miles down, and number left to go. Average pace, training pace, race pace. Months, weeks, days, seconds until your next race. Miles on sneaker pair 1...pair 2...pair 3...
The numbers go on and on.
Some of the numbers that have been constant residents in my mind since September?
26.2 (obviously)
Some of the numbers that have been constant residents in my mind since September?
26.2 (obviously)
10,000 and 13,100 (my initial and then"secret"/now reality fundraising goals)
9:30-10:30 (my goal pace range)
4/20/15 (the date of the 119th Boston Marathon)
53 (the number of pounds I have lost since January 2014 when I started running again)
16 (the number of pounds I have to reach my "goal" weight)
There is one other important number that is constantly at top of mind for me, but sadly this number keeps changing and ticking upwards. It is the number of people I am running in honor and memory of. And I run so that one day that number will be "0."
This weekend I added one more person to that list when I learned about my teammate Lisa's four year old patient partner Nolan. A year ago Nolan was on his deathbed battling acute myeloid leukemia (AML).Unlike acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) which my patient partner Darla fought and overcame and which is often classified as "curable," AML is typically found in adults versus children and has a much lower survival rate. Nolan qualified for a clinical trial while being treated at Dana-Farber which was basically deemed his "last chance" at beating his AML in combo with a bone marrow transplant. Nolan responded to the treatment and just celebrated his 4th birthday last week and in 3 days on March 19th will celebrate his first "re-birthday" to mark one year post-bone marrow transplant.
The kicker? When the clinical trial was offered to Nolan's family they asked how it was being paid for since insurance didn't cover it, etc. The answer? Through the funds raised by the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge and Pan Mass Challenge.
Oh and I should mention that Lisa shared Nolans' story with me and another runner as we approached the longest, steepest hill near the end of our 14 mile run this past weekend. Needless to say it gave us the extra push we needed to make it to the top!
So yeah, if you ever had any question about the impact your amazingly generous gifts are helping to have, there you go.
Oh and here are a few more numbers.
26013 (my bib number)
1275 (number of dollars until I reach my goal of raising $13,100 to save lives)
5 (number of weeks until the Boston Marathon)
4 (my starting wave)
3 (my corral)
2 (number of weeks left in my Marathon March Madness opportunity drawings)
1 (entry per every $10 donation increment for some great prizes!)
So yeah, if you ever had any question about the impact your amazingly generous gifts are helping to have, there you go.
Oh and here are a few more numbers.
26013 (my bib number)
1275 (number of dollars until I reach my goal of raising $13,100 to save lives)
5 (number of weeks until the Boston Marathon)
4 (my starting wave)
3 (my corral)
2 (number of weeks left in my Marathon March Madness opportunity drawings)
1 (entry per every $10 donation increment for some great prizes!)
Every $10 donation increment = 1 entry for these great prizes!
(i.e. $20 = 2 entries, $30 = 3 entries, and so forth)
Decorating Darla's poster for Marathon Monday at our DFMC Patient Poster Party after our run this weekend (her picture will go in the blank space)