18 miles closer to Boston!

So, many of us know that Jenny is one busy girl.  Between graduate school and finding the time to go on three hour training runs, she doesn't always have time to stay in touch with her many fans.  That's why I, her wonderfully amazing boyfriend (If I don’t say so myself), am going to contribute to this blog periodically to let you know how her training and fundraising is going.

Today Jenny completed her latest “long run”.  She had a great 18 mile run that took her from our house in Stafford down into Ellington around Crystal Lake, back through Stafford Springs and up into Hydeville (a small village just north of Stafford Springs) and back.  I joined Jenny for the last seven miles on a route I picked out (the leg through Hydeville).  This is probably the last time she is ever going to let me choose a route for one of her training runs since her miles 15 and 16 were straight up hill due to a small miscalculation on my part.  The joke was on me in the end.  She got stronger up those two miles worth of hills and kicked my butt completely as I nearly had a heart attack trying to keep up with her.  How badly she burned me up those hills calls for stronger language but she tells me that I need to keep this blog clean.

Anyhow, she had a great 18 mile run on yet another beautiful winter day.  The temperature for the run was around 40 degrees and even warmer in the sun.   This whole winter so far has been a welcome change from last winter when she was battling ice covered roads and six foot snow banks.

Sadly, we were reminded this week about how important it is to keep up the fight for cancer fundraising/research.  On Tuesday my brother in-law Jake, lost is father to cancer.  Jack battled the disease courageously for four years and in that time he was able to see two of his children get married and be a part of his young grandchildren’s lives.  While I didn’t know him personally, it was very evident through the quality of family and friends he kept that he was a remarkable person.  So many of us have been touched by this dreadful disease, but it can be defeated!  Please try to do whatever you can to help join the fight, whether that is through supporting fundraising efforts like Jenny’s Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge (shameless plug – you can get to Jenny’s fundraising page through the link on the top of this blog) or through your thoughts and prayers for those fighting or have lost their battles.  Whatever you can do, no matter how big or small, makes a difference.

Look forward to talking again soon!

Enjoyed my last week of school vacation and was able to sneak in some nice runs this week!  Also was excited to get in my first tempo 10 miler of the year.  Two years ago before Boston, I did a more challenging 10 miler as many weeks as I could throughout the winter and it helped make such a difference during the race.  Last year, I could tell early on in the race that I was lacking that training as the pace felt more challenging in the earlier miles.
I also worked on finishing up my fundraising letter and making a list of potential donors to send my letter to.  My goal is to start sending out letters during February when people are starting to look forward toward the spring :)
I am also excited to get our Red Sox tickets "opportunity drawing" underway.  Dana Farber legally can't let you call it a raffle so an "opportunity drawing" it will be :)
Lastly, on a more somber note, Rob's sister's father in law is in hospice care as his battle against cancer has taken a turn for the worse... I will be sure to be keeping him in my thoughts as I start my fundraising and training... it's always important to remember the brave individuals fighting this disease and never lose sight of why it is so important to keep supporting research for this cause...

Red Sox vs. Yankees tickets!!!

Tonight, I am excited to announce that we finalized the purchase of 2 tickets to the Saturday April 21, 2012 game between the Red Sox and Yankees at Fenway Park!!  For the next two months I will be selling tickets for the pair of seats to raise money for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and my running of the Boston marathon as a member of the DFMC team.  The ticket prices are "suggested donations" because Dana Farber is restricted by rules that say we can do opportunity drawings which imply suggested donations but that we cannot do raffles which require mandatory donations (silly i know)
We will be doing the drawing exactly one month from race day on March 16th!
1 ticket = $5
5 tickets = $20
To be entered to win:
Email me at jennifermarierichard@gmail.com with your name, best contact information, and how many tickets you would like

1.      Donations can be made online at www.rundfmc.org/2012/jennyr

2.      Checks can be made  payable to DFMC or Jenny Richard and mailed to 17 Olympic Ave, Stafford Springs, CT 06076

3.      Cash in hand only (please do not mail)
I'm so excited to be adding this event to my fundraising as it is a chance to give back to those who have supported me!

How long can we keep lucking out with this awesome training weather?!?!
Never thought a month ago that I'd get to run a 10k in January when it was 50 degrees and sunny out!! Rob and I went to the Greater Springfield Harriers weekly race Saturday and had a great time. 
Also got to sneak in my first long run of 13 miles today... it's amazing how that distance goes from feeling rather long now to rather short by the end of March!
There is something really exciting about starting to get in some long training runs for Boston! Even though it is over 3 months away, the minute I start thinking about the crowds, all the runners, and the wonderful weekend leading up to Marathon Monday, I find myself getting all excited and running a bit quicker!  In fact, my Mom joins me for company on her bike, we'll get gabbing about Boston and before we know it, 4 miles went flying by!  Having run Boston a few times now, it is great to recall different parts of the course and the experience to help motivate you to train through the winter. 
As of right now, I'm still working on my letter and am hoping to put the finishing touches on a fundraising raffle I hope to do this year as well.  If you are a Red Sox fan- I hope you'll buy a ticket as I will be raffling off two tickets to a Sox Yankees game!
Let's keep our fingers crossed for another snow-less week of clear roads and warm run! Each one of these days is definitely a gift right now :)

Perspective is beyond powerful.

For the last week or so I have been struggling with my morale.  I'm thinking it might just be a post-holiday/birthday/new years letdown or struggling to find the right words to put down in my fundraising letter... whatever it is, I know well enough that as quickly as it came, it will pass... just have to keep moving forward...

However, two things in the past few days have helped me keep everything I've been feeling in much better perspective.

1. Sadly, Rob found out the awful news that a week ago, the secretary at his work was diagnosed with Stage 3 cancer breast cancer.  Up until a week ago, she thought she was totally healthy and now this major blow have been thrown at her.  She is 100% symptom free and it makes me so frustrated and angry to think that someone so undeserving could all of a sudden be given this major challenge... she does not deserve this... then again, no one ever deserves to hear they have cancer.  This news about Sue has reminded me why it is so important to keep running and fundraising.  Even when you are kind of embarrassed to ask people yet again for money, even when the words you want to write just don't seem to want to come out right, even when you're not sure if it will be possible to reach the $4,000 minimum we must raise... you think about someone like Sue and you forget about all those reservations and doubts... you "go for it" and "just do it" because we could all be in Sue's shoes and this is a way we can support her fights and the fight of other strong individuals just like her!

2.  Feeling a little discouraged about my running at the moment, I looked at my running calendar for January 5th, 2011.  I had the flu, was laid up in bed, and missed 3 running days this week due to multiple snowstorms and endless hours of shoveling...
January 5th, 2012: it is 35 degrees, I had clear roads for my 7 miler, there was visible grass, and I do not have the flu (knock on wood!)...

... may we always keep everything in perspective..

Now that the holidays are over, it's time to start thinking about the New Year and most importantly- some marathon training! We have lucked out so far with great running weather for the last month, let's hope it continues for at least a few more weeks.  Last winter was a bit of a challenge so any less snow will seem like quite a treat. 

I am beginning to arrange my thoughts and today I started writing my fundraising letter for Dana Farber.  Over the last few years, I have raised the majority of my money for the DFMC team through a letter writing campaign.  Every year I get nervous about asking people for money.  In fact, it makes me rather uncomfortable.  However, whenever I get these feelings, I remind myself about why it is important to be out there running and fundraising.  It isn't about me, it is about what being a part of this team can do to help others. 

Just a few weeks ago, a woman my boyfriend knows well through work was diagnosed with breast cancer.  At the same time, two other individuals I know are bravely continuing their battles against Stage 4 stomach and lung cancer.  For me, thinking about these inspiring individuals reminds me about why it is important to keep running, to keep fundraising, and to keep writing my letter.

Thinking about these individuals keeps everything in perspective and it is with this mindset that I am eagerly gearing up to begin my training next week.  There really is not such thing as a bad run because being able to run and have the health to do so is a gift in itself.

There will no doubt be some challenges over the next 3 months, but with the support of many wonderful people, I hope this experience can help to inspire others and do a lot of good to help those who need it the most.  Those who are fighting cancer. 

Heading out for a run now and hoping that it will inspire me with some thoughts to finish my fundraising letter this afternoon :)

Hello!

As the New Year is coming quickly upon us, I am beginning to prepare for what will be my third season as a member of the Dana Farber Marathon Challenge team. 

Over the next four months, my goal is to help use this blog to help spread the word DFMC which is an amazing program  comprised of 500 runners whowill run the Boston Marathon while raising money for cancer research. 

A lot of people run races to support charities and each one is doing a wonderful thing.  The reasons I chose Dana Farber are:

-My Mom ran 12 Boston Marathons and her last 6 were as a member of the DFMC team.  Remarkably, she raised $26,000 for this amazing cause during her time with the program.   For years I would stand at Mile 25 by Fenway Park and cheer with my sister and our family friends for my Mom as she made her way over the Mass Ave bridge into Boston.  She ran for her sister MJ who died of breast cancer in her early 40s.  She ran for her Mom who died of pancreatic cancer in a matter of months.  She ran for dear friends and for friends of friends.  One year, she was even asked to be a guest speaker at the memorable Dana Farber pasta party in downtown Boston the night before the race.  My Mom has and always will be an inspiration to me and being able to run for Dana Farber and carry on the tradition is something I feel extremely blessed to be able to do.  Running a marathon is hard, but fighting cancer is much harder.  Running as a member of the DFMC team, it is never a matter of if you will finish, it is only a matter of when you will finish. 

-DFMC is the first and most longstanding charity partnered with the Boston Marathon

-They help to raise more money than all the other charity programs involved with Boston combined and help to raise money for the Claudia Adams Barr Program which was founded by Delores Weaver (the Weaver family owns the Jacksonville Jaguars NFL team). Delores's, Mom lost her battle to cancer so she started this program which is specifically devoted to innovative basic cancer research.  The money our team raises provides grants and funding to research projects happening right here in New England.  The findings of this research are being applied clinically on an annual basis.  One of my favorite parts of the program is reading about the discoveries they have made- discoveries made possible by our team's funds. 

-Being a part of the DFMC is like being a part of a big family.  My first year I lived near Boston so I could attend the monthly team meetings and weekly group runs.  It was great getting to know so many people who you instantly had a connection with regardless of age, gender, and background.  My second year I was unable to attend as many events, but it was still great to come together with the team the night before the marathon and then again the morning of the race as we have a church right near the starting line that opens its doors for our team as a gathering place.  During the race, their are DFMC support stations at Mile 17 and Mile 25.  At the latter station, many people come out from Dana Farber.  Many runners are paired with children being treated at DF and for some, if able, they run the last mile into Boston with their partner (this program is truly special). After the finish DFMC has a recovery zone as well where you can regroup with your teammates, get cleaned up, and get a nice massage too!

-My Mom told me before the race that running for Dana Farber was like having a personal cheering crew for 26.2 miles.  She couldnt have been more right.  Both years I found myself getting teary eyed at multiple points along the course when getting a specific thumbs up or big cheer or specific smile.  It's hard to explain, but those moments make any fatigue or pain or tiredness you are feeling disappear.  I think it's because they remind you of why you are really out there.  Perspective makes you realize how relative all things really are. 

-Lastly, training for a marathon in the winter can be a little bit interesting to say the least.  However, being a part of the DFMC program makes every day of training meaningful.  Every year I do a letter writing campaign and look so greatly forward to checking the mailbox for letters from family and friends.  They send me the names of those they know whose lives have been affected by cancer.  Every year in April, I then write these names on my DFMC team racing singlet. They send me supportive letters and donations to support the cause. 

 The support of so many is what this is all about.  It is what makes this program so wonderful. 

I hope throughout the next four months you will be a part of this special journey.