Wednesday September 30th

I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear - Nelson Mandela


I got this quote in an email sent from my team in training captain Jen Canalin and I am truly humbled by what has happened to me this month in my efforts to make the Nike Women’s ½ marathon on October 18th.

It took me a couple of months after signing up with TNT in July to send out my fund raising letters and join the team. I kept putting it off and not going to the training sessions. If there was an excuse not to go, I found it. By the time I did show up the team had already been training for 6 weeks! It was hard for me on so many levels including my not wanting to ask people for money or put myself out there with my story.

After one of my colleagues at work, Gino, made it to the Hawaii marathon and I realized that I was so fortunate to be alive and be able to participate, I had no right to just sit back and watch from this safe distance. I knew I had to work on this fear and be given the courage to train as well as send weekly updates asking for donations. Asking for donations was harder than getting up at 5.30 on a Saturday morning to do 8 miles at Ocean Beach!


As it turned out, as a survivor I got an “honoree discount” (it makes me smile every time I talk about it) and so my fund raising limit went from $2100.00 down to $1500.00. I cannot put into words how I felt each time I received a donation. It was a mixture of elation, humility, and gratitude. Like a kid with a new toy and each donation was validation of the fact that I am on the right track and that I will be in the race.


Today, within 1 month, I have reached my fund raising limit and can focus on my two 10-mile training sessions in time for the race in 3 weeks. The quote sums up this journey and many more that I have ahead of me.


Oh! And before I forget, last week I got an email from Nike saying that I could sign up for the race for $100! I looked at the email in disbelief … You mean I did not have to put myself out there like that to raise money? I guess not. But then again, I would not have had this experience to look back on if I did!

GO TEAM!!!
To Donate: http://pages.teamintraining.org/sf/nikesf09/gasante