Why I’m Running a Marathon with Team in Training
Despite the fact that I really just like to run, I’m also doing Team in Training for a very personal reason: for my hero, my grandfather. When I was nine years old, my grampa was diagnosed with Myelofibrosis which is a disease (myeloproliferative) in which scar-like tissue forms in the marrow as a result of abnormal production of red cells, white cells, and platelets. While not Lymphoma or Leukemia-although sometimes it does progress into Leukemia- it is still a very serious (and rare) blood disorder and a disease that the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society is committed to finding a cure for. My grampa and gramma would drive 8 hours to MD Anderson from Abilene whenever my grampa had to go through tests, blood transfusions, chemo or marrow transplants. My grandfather never compained or made excuses. Although I do remember him being very tired (probably because of the anemia) and sometimes, but rarely, grumpy. Who could blame him? I wanted him to play with me and he needed to rest.
When I was 14 years old, a freshman in high school, my grampa would drive me to school in the mornings and I always really enjoyed our time spent together. One Friday he dropped me off at school and I remember telling him that I would see him on Saturday. He had asked me to come visit him for some reason that I can’t remember. It was actually strange, looking back, because he never used to ask me specifically to come visit him. That was the last I saw of my grandfather. That same day as he was working in his workshop, his most favorite place to be, he died suddenly. It was such a shock and I refused to believe it at first. I thought that he was getting better. Looking back, I think he just hid from me how sick he really was very well.
My grandfather was one of the most amazing people I have ever known and many of his friends and family would agree how incredible he was. He graduated from the University of Texas with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering and then joined the Air Force. In the Air Force, he became a fighter pilot, flying the F-4 Phantom in Vietnam and eventually retiring as a flight instructor and Lieutenant Colonel. He loved adventure and excitement and I like to think that’s where I got it from. In his retirement, he and my gramma moved to a 200 acre ranch on the outskirts of Abilene and raised longhorns and collected WWII Jeeps and Model T Ford pickups. My favorite memories of my grampa were Sunday afternoons when we would hop in the truck with our lab, Polly, go feed the cows and then go hop in the row boat and seek adventure by rowing around on one of the tanks (little lakes). Grampa taught me how to watch out for rattlesnakes hidden in the grass, how to shoot a gun, and how to catch grasshoppers as bait for fishing. He was the best friend a little girl could have. Well, probably even a better friend for little boys. But that’s OK, I told everyone I was a tomboy back then.
I’ve always tried to live my life so that my grampa would be proud. I’ve done some cool things in my life probably all because he inspired me to live life to the fullest. He really believed in me and I know that he would love that I am running a marathon in Alaska. But then he would tell me a story about he ran two marathons in one day across the Sahara. But that’s OK, because I still have time to do that, too.
If you’re interested in donating to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and supporting me as I train for the Mayor’s Marathon check out my Team in Training donations page. I would love to have your support!
that was an awesome post! unfortunately, i don't have any money to give you… and i can't give you my firstborn either…
That's cool. You can donate your time by helping me organize some fundraisers. Don't think you're getting out of it that easily