The 2010 TIME 100

No, we didn't actually write this blog entry, but we had to share it.... And Yes...we know its been over a week since Shiner and we still have not updated our blog...Will is working on that post and it will be here soon with photos, I promise.

And even though I couldn't be more proud of Will's 100 miles from Austin to Shiner (in 5 hours and 23 minutes...a teaser to his entry) this letter below ROCKS...and had to be posted!

This is YOUR money...the money you give to individuals like Will and I. So all of us together, really make a difference in helping fund (and find) a cure! GO TEAM!

LLS Funded Researcher is on Time Magazine's List of 100 Most Influential People

Dear Friend of LLS:

I am pleased to share exciting news about Larry Kwak, M.D., Ph.D., a researcher funded by The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Dr. Kwak was recently named one of TIME Magazine's "100 Most Influential People," for his role in advancing custom-made vaccines for patients with lymphoma.

Dr. Kwak, professor and chair of the Department of Lymphoma and Myeloma at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, has focused his work on harnessing the power of the immune system of patients with follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma to fight their cancer. The vaccines are developed by taking proteins from the patient's own tumor, training them to find and kill lymphoma cells and then injecting them back into the patient. Currently in late stage clinical trials, the vaccines have been shown to extend disease-free survival for more than a year.

In 2007, LLS awarded Dr. Kwak a five-year, $6.25 million Specialized Center of Research grant, our most prestigious research award. These grants are distinctive in that they encourage at least three laboratories at the same or different institutions to work together. In addition to continuing his work on the personalized lymphoma vaccines, this grant is enabling Dr. Kwak to expand his research to develop immunotherapies for patients with leukemia and myeloma as well.

Throughout his distinguished career, Dr. Kwak has been on the cutting edge of researching and developing novel immunotherapies that are already showing a clear benefit for patients with cancer. We are proud of Dr. Kwak's well-deserved recognition and are honored to have played a role in helping to advance this life-saving work.

To read more about Dr. Kwak's inclusion in the "2010 Time 100" please visit Time Magazine's website, and to learn more about our Research programs visit www.LLS.org. Please join us in taking pride in Dr. Kwak's achievements.

Sincerely,
John E. Walter
President & CEO (LLS)

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Our “Endurance Weekend” --- and I am now convinced Muenster is German for Monster…

This past weekend starts to wrap up the training season as the Shiner GASP approaches this weekend. On Saturday, I rode the Muenster Germanfest Bike Rally, then jumped right in the car to meet Dianna in Oklahoma City for the 10th annual OKC Memorial Marathon and Half-Marathon.

A little about the Muenster Rally – it is 62 miles, very hilly, some rough road, crowded, and when windy a very challenging ride. All those conditions were very present including wind, wind, and more wind. 30 mph gusts at times and we only had about 15 miles where the wind was truly at our back. I started the ride worried that I would not make it in time to OKC to meet up with Dianna (and our friends) for dinner because the wind was howling with no sign of letting up….have I mentioned before that wind is not your friend when riding a bike?? I decided it was the last training ride before Shiner so I might as well go for it and leave all I had on the course. I did just that while perfecting some skills that needed a little work – like opening granola bars, eating cookies, and washing down electrolyte chomps all while riding. I stopped twice to refill bottles, load my jersey up with snacks, and text Dianna with progress reports. The wind was ridiculous and at times I caught myself thinking (and saying) some things that aren’t fit to print. Dianna sent back some texts with the words of encouragement I needed, took the stress off a little, and ultimately I finished in 4 hours 15 minutes - 4 hours and 4 minutes of actual pedal time. Not bad considering the wind but I had nothing left when I got to the car. That said, I felt fairly proud that I finished the way I did because at the Shiner event I will not really have a time constraint – I really just need to finish and while I did not ride much with my team in Muenster, I plan to ride with them a little more on the route to Shiner. Besides, the training rides are sometimes nice to ride alone as it provides some nice thinking time to keep things in perspective.

Now that Muenster was behind me, it was on to OKC to meet up with Dianna. I made it just in time to grab a quick shower and head to dinner. This was Dianna’s second half-marathon of the year and one of the steps on her quest to run the 35th annual Marine Corps Marathon in Washington DC in October. We had a relaxing dinner with friends on Saturday evening and as tempting as it was to really let our hair down and have some cocktails, we all knew 4:30am was going to come awfully early…..did I mention the run started at 6:30am?? Wake up call at 4:30 - although I don’t think either of us slept that well anticipating the event. It was a wonderful and memorable event with 168 seconds of silence at the start to honor the 168 victims that died in the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building bombing. Dianna did great, beating her actual run time from the Austin half-marathon in February….but of course, being the perfectionist that she is, wasn’t happy with the time and vows to do some speed work to keep improving her time….amazing and inspiring are the only 2 words that can describe how I felt as I remember us spending a few private moments together when she was done.

Back to my thoughts on the “thinking time” and Dianna’s texts I mentioned above. When I was riding Muenster, she sent me a few texts, one that simply read – “remember you don’t HAVE to do this – you GET to do this”. That statement alone kept me pushing hard toward the finish – not so much because I was trying to hurry, now I was remembering why I am doing the Shiner and Tahoe events. There are so many folks that do not “get” to do this because they are in treatment, are too weak to even walk at times, can’t get out of the house much because their immune systems are suppressed, and the list goes on. I remembered that I am doing this for Georgia, for all people diagnosed with blood cancers, and for all the people who continue to support us with their generous donations to the Leukemia Society. A few simple words in a text message (from the only person that it could mean something from) that brought me back to where I needed to be – not worried about dinner, or making good time to OKC, but back on the course with Georgia on my mind and thinking that it was all our supporters that were the wind for 15 miles on my back!

Will

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Goals & Sweet 16...

If you read my very first blog entry...my goal was to run a half marathon every month in 2010; however, finding a half marathon in Texas every month that I was available to run has proved to be quite difficult. Therefore, I have had to amend my goal to complete 10 events in 2010. In 2 1/2 weeks I will complete my 2nd event -the Oklahoma City Memorial HALF marathon. I am not running this event as a current member of Team in Training because we are focused on fundraising for Will's two cycling events this season, but as always, I run in honor of Allie & Georgia and all the other children who have been affected by cancer. But I won't be alone on the course, the Spring TNT team will be there and I'm also running with a friend of mine and this is her FIRST half marathon, so we are in for a good time!

With all that being said about goals...I wanted to share with you a TNT alumni whose goals for 2010 are an inspiration to me & many others. His name is Don Armstrong. He is a "courageous leukemia survivor celebrating his 5th year in remission by running 10 marathons and raising $500,000 to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS). Armstrong is running not only to celebrate his survival and raise money for the cause, but also runs for those who cannot finish their race." I encourage each of you to visit his website which I also linked on the right sidebar. We, of course, have encouraged all our friends and family to help Will meet his fundraising goal (and thank you for your support!) but I also encourage you to donate $5 to Don's goal and further help the mission of LLS to find a cure for blood cancers! You can also follow Don on Twitter or FB.

And finally, I want to SHOUT IT FROM THE ROOFTOPS that my niece, Allie, turned 16 today and got her drivers license (I did some editing to the photo for all those seeking to make a fake ID)! She is beautiful inside and out and I pray for her continued good health. She is hoping to run the Dallas White Rock relay or half marathon this year in honor of another high school student from Frisco, Morgan Watson, who is fighting Philadelphia chromosome positive (Ph+) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

I am looking forward to reaching my goals and helping Allie meet hers!

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