Team in Training Summer 2011 Kick off Event - Boston University

It was a bleak Saturday morning, Boston has just been dumped on with snow again for the third time, but that didn't deter my excitement as I walked to the kick off meeting. I would meet my coach (sometimes I think I'm on MTV's MADE), mentors, and teammates (aka the people I'm banking on to get me through this!). I signed in and was pleasantly surprised when they handed me a T shirt given out to those running the San Diego Marathon. I love free T-shirts! Things were off to a good start.

Vendors lined the perimeter of the gym, with chairs set up in the middle. I took a seat and soon started chatting with two other first time marathoners who were on the Boston team as well. I was immediately put at ease and I didn't feel like I was the only newbie to marathon running. We looked over the training schedule, talked about our current workout routines, discussed sneaker preferences... you know, the usual. The event began with a presentation on LLS, and the impact our decision to sign up will make on patient care and research.

Then, two cancer survivors told their stories. It was the first time I had heard the concept of "two birthdays". The first is their actual birthday, and the second is the date of their successful bone marrow transplant, when they began their second chance at life. Both women were in their early to mid 30s, both mothers and wives, and both blindsided by their diagnosis. Seemingly "healthy" individuals, they were transported from their everyday lives to the world of cancer treatment in a matter of hours. They learned that what they had thought was a severe sinus infection or flu was actually much worse.  Both now are cancer free - which is truly a miracle. This made it all very real, and very inspiring at the same time!

I left with my training schedule in hand. This was it - time to get moving!