Tuesday, January 11, 2011

First Post! Learn more about why I am running Boston 2011

Hello all. As this post is the first one, it may be short, just to make sure I get it up and on-line! Otherwise it might take me another week to do so!

I have started this blog as a supplemental to my Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge (DFMC) webpage - to tell you a little bit more about why I have chosen to embark on an experience of a lifetime - running the Boston Marathon as a DFMC team member.

My Dad, Alan Cameron, inspired the name for this blog - he started one of his own last year when he was a member of the 2010 DFMC team (alansheadedforboston.blogspot.com ). So I helped myself to a version of his blog title.

On April 18, 2011 I will take my place at the starting line for the Boston Marathon as a proud member of the 2011 Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge (DFMC) team. My journey actually began in 2010....



In April of 2010 I sat at a table at the pasta dinner for the 2010 DFMC team as my husband, Steve, and I had flown to Boston to join my mother, Jule, in being the curb crew for my father, Alan Cameron, who was a member of the 2010 team. As I sat at the dinner I thought to myself how amazing it would be to participate in the event next year. Little did I know that my dad was already ahead of me in his thoughts – I learned of his plans to participate again when I received an email in October that he had forwarded - welcoming him to the 2011 DFMC team. When I learned he would again be a member of the team, I told him he should have told me as I would have liked the opportunity to participate with him. His reply was quick – “they are still accepting applications.” I sat down and wrote my application that night and had it turned in within about 36 hours. I was fortunate to have been selected to also be a member of the 2011 DFMC team.

Dad and I will complete the marathon side-by-side come April 18, 2011. Now there is something you should know about Dad, if you don't already. He is 72 years old and he actually cannot run because of bad knees. But he speedwalks - and he speedwalks at a 12 minute per mile pace! So a few years ago (in 2005), he and I completed our first marathon together - the Chicago marathon. Since then Dad has completed 3 additional marathons (Ottawa, Twin Cities, and Boston). I, on the other hand, basically stopped running. 

But when I discovered that he planned to participate again this year I was incredibly motivated to join him - for multiple reasons. One, already mentioned above, is just how incredibly motivating it was to be there last year as a cheerleader and see all the good that the DFMC team has accomplished. And two, and perhaps most important, is that a good friend and colleague of mine, Mita, was diagnosed in August of 2010 with Stage II infiltrating ductal carcinoma. Mita is 37 years old, the mother of two great kids, and the wife of an equally great husband (I can say that as my husband would also agree!). She is an incredibly strong, caring, smart, sassy, hilarious, honest, and amazing woman, and I am truly lucky to be able to call her a friend. She is my inspiration for running the 2011 Boston Marathon and for raising money for this incredible cause. Please, if you haven't already, visit my fundraising page at http://www.runDFMC.org/2011/cameron

So - that will be it for this post. But I will certainly return to give some updates. Current update is that I have now logged well over 100 miles in training for the marathon - wow!

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