MILE AFTER MILE

There is so much to report about. First and foremost thank you to everyone who is in the fight against cancer with me! None of this would be possible without everyone who donates, cheers and volunteers  for the runners on our team.

I am currently over the $20,000 fundraising mark and because I am there is only one thing to do and that is to keep going. Cancer doesn't stop and neither will I.

This past Saturday I did another long run with the team and then spent the afternoon with patient partners and their families designing posters for our team dinner the night before the marathon. It is one of my favorite events ever since I was lucky enough to be partnered with Nolan. The energy and love in a room where families are there to celebrate the lives of their children reaffirm why there needs to be money for cancer research. The patient partners are living proof of that. While it is also heartbreaking when I hear the stories from people of the research that has helped a child survive cancer I know that there are reasons why the DFMC runners are there.

I have been lucky enough this season to attend well over five long runs with the team on Saturday mornings. I know how fortunate I am to have parents that go with me and a son who luckily loves this team as much as I do. Owen's excitement to see Sandy (Matty's mom) and his friend John make the 4:30 departures worth while. Many people ask why I get up that early and spend the morning on the course just for a few hours and come again weekend after weekend. It is simple. I am committed to this team and they are a huge part of my life. My family is a part of the DFMC family just as much as I am.

My training is going well. After the 16 mile runs and a solid base was built the mileage increased. I have completed two 18 mile runs and a 20 mile run during the last month. I felt great at most of them with a rough patch here and there but nothing I couldn't mentally get through. It's hard to complain when you run for Caitlin and Nolan. I have a 20 mile weekend run planned this weekend with my friend Joy who got me involved with the DFMC program 17 years ago. I am very excited to see her and I am prepared to run hard. She is a qualifier for Boston so I have my work cut out for me on the hills in Middlebury! The following weekend is the last big one. It's my favorite run. It takes place on the course once again and we run out on the hills 11 miles going one way and then return on the hills. It is 22 miles of pure energy and the last real push before the big day. My friend Melissa will be there!! She is running on the Children's team and I am equally excited to see her. Chris and Owen will be volunteering at the Team Matty water stop so there will be a HUGE party going on there.

This is such an exciting time during the season. I start to look ahead to marathon weekend and seeing Peg and Keith and remembering Caitlin at the pasta dinner although she is never far form my mind.  It is a time to honor Nolan and celebrate his life. It is time to be with my own family in the best city on the planet. It is a time to celebrate the amazing work of our team and the DFMC staff and all of the volunteers. Above all it is a time to celebrate my family, friends and total strangers who have supported what I do and all have the same goal and that is to imagine a world without cancer.

The Mailbox

Saturday I was slated to travel to Boston with Owen and my parents for an 18 mile training run with the team. Believe it or not it was cancelled due to a snowstorm while Vermont remains snow free. Although I have been to a couple of team runs this year and have five more coming up I missed the team and Sandy's cookies immensely. There is something uniquely special about our team which includes veterans like myself and newbies. We are all lacing up for one cause and that's to kick cancer to the curb if not today then in the future. 

I decided Saturday morning to take advantage of my parents spending the morning with Owen so I could set out on the 18 mile journey on my own. Owen loves my training runs because they usually include time with my parents or a trip to Boston which is his second favorite place to be. It was a beautiful day with sun and clouds and 30 degree weather. Keep in mind the road I live on is absolutely beautiful. It is surrounded by (large) hills, mountain views, a farm named Happy Acres, wild animals, and several cows. 

I had the brilliant idea of really pushing myself this run and focusing on something so I didn't get lonely out there. I decided to run a mile at my marathon 9 minute mile pace and then run a mile at 8:20 pace alternating between the two times for the 18 miles. Things were going great and I thought to myself that it wasn't as hard as I thought until I returned for the second time up the hill at the end of my road (1,400 feet of total elevation this run) and realized the 8:20 miles caught up to my legs. I won't lie the run became challenging quickly. I knew at that point I had to dig deep and focus on the reasons why I run. It's amazing how that gets me out of my own head and can keep me going. By the way the alternating mile sprints ended here and I stuck with the 9 minute mile pace for the last four miles of my run. ;) 

You are probably wondering why I titled this post "The Mailbox." It is this simple...my friend Vicky lives three miles down the road so I was able to pass her mailbox four times during the run. She stashed water in her mailbox and even took my gloves, hat and a shirt as I was overheating. Whether she knows it or not her mailbox and support are a lifesaver especially on long runs. This allows me to not have to carry my own water. She not only lets me fill her mailbox but is a huge supporter of the fight against cancer after losing her own father to this disease. This week she made an incredibly generous donation to my fundraising page for which I am truly grateful. Friends like her mean more than they ever know. This explains the title and the photo in this post. Thanks Vicky!

Happy February and thank you for reading!

Cheers,
Lisa

16 weeks and counting

In 16 weeks I will once again be in Boston with my teammates, my parents, Chris, Owen, Caitlin's family and Nolan's family. I can't wait. It's a weekend filled with some of my favorite people that all have one goal and that is to do all we can to fight cancer. Just about everyone I know has been affected by cancer in some way which is why this cause is so important to people.

The last couple of weeks have been incredibly humbling and to say I am grateful and blessed seems inadequate. The students, staff and parents at my elementary school collected change as part of a spare change challenge between our principal Karen Trimboli and a staff member Shona Trimboli. To say the students at our school learned about giving is an understatement. I have done a ton of fundraisers over the last 17 years but the way our entire school community rallied around this cause was inspiring. They were able to raise just over $1,800 and during the assembly where pie was thrown it was announced that the total would be matched by an anonymous donor. The whole experience moved me to tears as well as other staff members. I won't lie the students were very excited to see the principal receive a pie in the face and even though Shona won the challenge she took a pie as well. I of course will never be able to thank my school enough for what they did in the fight against cancer.

With that fundraiser and others that I have ongoing as well as donations from friends and family I have raised over $5,000 for the DFMC. I am working on filling Super Bowl squares as well. The football pool will total $2,500 with half of the proceeds going to cancer research and the other half being split between two winners. Several squares  have been purchased so if you are interested in trying your luck on one let me know. In keeping with square rules Nolan (my patient partner) and my son Owen will be assigning the numbers on the board just before the Super Bowl takes place or when all of the squares are filled. In late March or early April there will be a car wash in Ludlow which will be the last of my fundraisers. There are also several 50/50 raffles coming up at Killarneys restaraunt in Ludlow and some surprise fundraisers in between.

I can't tell you how exciting it is to see my DFMC teammates training in my originally designed 26.2 sweatshirts. The team has kept me very busy with orders! They are all over the streets of Boston and even as far as New Mexico! The more people that know about Dana-Farber and the hundreds of thousands of people they have helped the better.

A week ago my family spent the weekend celebrating the 60th birthday of Caitlin's mom Peggy.  Being surrounded by her family is always exciting. They know how to throw a great party! The next morning we visited Caitlin on the anniversary of her passing. There really is nothing you can say that gives comfort or makes sense of a child dying. Peggy said something to me at the party that I will carry with me on the course this year and that is having her daughter being remembered is all they want. They don't want the world to forget about her. The weekend was bittersweet. It also continued that same day with Cailitn's nephew Logan celebrating his third birthday. He truly is an angel.

Today winter training began! I won't lie I got very comfortable with the recent weather but you can only be spoiled for so long and Chris is tired of skiing everyday on the same few trails. The town also needs the snow so bring it on. I am well equipped for winter running and after last winter there aren't many elements I won't run in.

To all of those that support me, my family, my friends, my school, my DFMC family, Nolan and his family and Caitlin's family I love and thank you from the bottom of my heart and the soles of my feet. I continue to be humbled, inspired by the stories I receive and thankful that so many people are as passionate about this cause as I am.

Have a wonderful new year. May it be healthy, full of family and surrounded by love.

In the words of Sandy Dubuc "DON'T STOP BELIEVING!!!"




Much love,
Lisa

               WELCOME BACK TO TWO TIME CANCER SURVIVOR HILARY!!!!!
                                                   THE TEAM IS COMPLETE!!!!

Family Reunion

Yesterday I was reunited with my DFMC family. I can't tell you how exciting it was to see all of my friends and teammates again. There were a lot of hugs, introductions and tons of laughter. The energy from the runners, the DFMC volunteers and our coach Jack Fultz were felt long after the run was over. Amongst the excitement we also found out that Nate who has been a patient partner for several years passed away last week. Every team member dedicated our run to him yesterday as well as his family. Please keep them all in your thoughts as well as his partnered runner.
The weather in Wellsley was absolutely perfect. We began our run at the 15 mile mark and ran the Newton Hills. If you asked me 17 years ago about the Newton Hills I wouldn't have a lot of nice things to say but I have come to really enjoy running them. After running this section of the course so much last winter it doesn't fill "hilly" anymore. I ran with a teammate Jennie who runs in memory of her siblings as well as new running partners Brian and Rick. I had one of my better 10 mile runs holding a pace of 8:37 miles which is considered fast for me. I'm pretty sure the speed under my feet came from being with my teammates. There is so much inspiration on the team...more than I will ever know!
I was also fortunate enough to have my mom drive me down which gave us time to spend together. Life is busy and having extra time to spend with my mom makes this cause even more special. The support that my mom and dad both give me is overwhelming. I'm a lucky girl!
Please take some time in the next few days and weeks to think of Nate and say a prayer for his family and all of the families who have to face these weeks without a child. The in-memory patients hold a very special place in my heart and in the hearts of my teammates.
Many blessings to all of you.

The picture is with Kerry who has been on the team for several years. She runs in memory of Matty Dubuc...DFMC inspiration!

Running Buddy

This morning was absolutely beautiful for a long run. I am feeling very grateful for all of this warm weather for the start of the DFMC season. I mean really when do you ever go out for a run in a t-shirt during the month of December?!?! I'll take it!
This morning I woke up after a night of giving and the spirit of Christmas. Children and adults came to the Ludlow Town Hall to watch the movie The Polar Express and have a surprise visit from Santa. It was wonderful to see the smiling faces of the kids when Santa entered the room. I love the weeks leading to Christmas for several reasons but watching kids enjoy the magic of the season tops my list. I am surrounded by that magic everyday in my classroom as well as at home with Owen. There's nothing like it! It was so nice to provide an activity in our community for kids. When you live in a rural place this does not happen all the time and keep in mind we are anywhere from 20-40 minutes away from a movie theater. I was overwhelmed by the gratitude of the donations that were given for my run to fight cancer. I heard stories from people about how they have been affected by cancer and the importance of cancer research and care. These stories solidify why I am so passionate about the DFMC team and running for Caitlin and Nolan. I can't thank everyone enough that attended the movie last night and donated to such a great cause. Parents were talking about how they wished this could happen every Friday night so I have decided to hold another movie event during stick season and possibly before.
This morning my 10 mile run was amazing. The sun was shining, the weather was warm, and we saw a flock of turkeys and even met a new neighbor. The best part of this run was I had a little sidekick with me. Although I wanted to run 13 miles I know my limits when pushing the stroller and Owen's limits in the stroller. I have been blessed with a child who has enjoyed being my running buddy since he was 6 months old. He loves to run with me and is often disappointed on the days I have to go to the gym and run on the dread mill (keeps me honest about my sprints). I cherish the time Owen and I spend running together. It's a lot slower and challenging because of the stroller and the VT hills but I wouldn't trade it for the world. I know how lucky I am to be able to do something I love with someone I love. We have officially discussed just about every endangered animal there is and as a result of all of these runs I wouldn't be surprised if Owen grows up to doing something to help them. I am convinced this is what sparked his wanting to sponsor an animal for his birthday. He has chosen the whale shark and the leopard. So I consider this time together priceless but also one that allows for endless conversation as well as a nap every now and then.
Of course the run ended and we headed to my classroom together to get some work done as well as knowing the Christmas party at the fire department is waiting for us tonight but this morning was a perfect way to start the day and a memory I have forever.
Cheers!!!

Thinking back...

Sorry I skipped a week but here I am. My last two weekend runs consisted of one 10 mile run and then a long run that was half steady and the other half consisted of sprints which my coach Jack (Boston winner) would be very proud of me for. His training plan is to get me to my goal so I am following it closely...most of the time. ;) Notice I'm not mentioning the snow flurries I ran in last Saturday!

I'm going to veer of course from running for a bit to tackle the events of last week in our world. I'm not one to talk politics or bash our leaders because really I don't know enough about any of them to do that but what I can say regardless of who does what and who hurts who I am saddened mostly because of the lack of value of human life. My dad put this into perspective for me tonight when he said it's hard to be at the other side of your life knowing that your daughter and most importantly my grandson (the new apple of his eye) will be left in a world where people seem to be disposable. He then went on to rant which if any of you know my dad personally I'm sure you know what he was saying. We don't see eye to eye on a lot of things but he has a valid point here. What he did go on saying is that everyone should just be sure to help others. So I challenge all of you reading this to make a difference in the lives of others whether it be signing up for a walk to help an organization, volunteering at an event, paying it forward at a coffee shop, shoveling a driveway, donating blood or platelets, whatever you can think of...do something for others. If anything you will have made a difference in someone's life.

I couldn't watch the news this week because the look in the eyes of the little bit that I saw of worry and fear and shock brought back terrible reminders of the 2013 marathon. There is a pit that you get in your stomach for that moment when you don't know if your family is okay as well as friends that were in front of you running or near the finish line. It's a moment I will never forget and one I hope to never be apart of again. It's not something I talk about. I often think about the lives of so many people in the world that live with that fear every single day. I can honestly say that mile 25.8 of the 2013 marathon will be etched in my mind forever. Every year since the 2013 marathon when I start to train my mind starts to wander back there but on the other side of that the celebration of the 2014 marathon is where my heart goes now. That finish will be one I will never forget.

Then there is last year. Being able to see Cailtin's dad, my family, and Nolan's family at mile 25 was amazing. It is all of these moments that get me fired up for another season. It's hard to believe that this will be my 17th year. It's hard to believe because of so many people who have been a part of a cancer story have supported me and have helped me raise over $100,000 since I started almost two decades ago. I can't be anymore grateful and blessed than I am for this. I am attending my first group run of the season with my DFMC team in a couple of weeks and I can't wait to see my "family" because that is what they are for myself and my own family. My parents, Chris, Owen, and I are so lucky to have an extended family of 500 people on a journey for one common goal. Last year our team raised over 5 million dollars! Thank you all for being a part of this.
Run on...

I leave you with this photo which is one of the many I have from the 2014 marathon but one that I treasure. It captures the love on the face of the many volunteers who came to the finish line that year to celebrate the spirit of Boston. I don't know who this man was but when he gave me my medal and most importantly a sincere hug with tears in his eyes I knew that it was just as important for him as it was for me. That medal then went on to Nolan at Boston Children's Hospital so it was in very good hands!

A little 2015 recap by one of my DFMC teammates !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzyBkIEfM8I&app=desktop