Sunday, November 28, 2010

Last Vestiges of Fall

the last of the fall colors in front of Redmond City Hall and the police station next to the Sammamish River trail where I train





Happy belated Thanksgiving!

We are very grateful for life and the incredible blessings we have savored over the last year of a spectacular recovery following a second major brain surgery. (Incidentally I have experienced 4 life threatening trials in my adult life: cancer/chemotherapy treatment, radiosurgery for an aggressively growing brain tumor, brain surgery on 2 tumors crushing my brain stem, and 2 years later brain surgery for 4 more tumors compressing my brainstem).

To show our appreciation for life and the gift of good health, 3 of us from the Kilimanjaro team immediately jumped into training to run the Seattle half marathon this month. For me it was tough and painful but is nothing compared to what people with Neurofibromatosis and cancer go through. Many with NF2 and NF1 cannot even run. So why not utlize the gift God have given me to help those in need? Engaging in sports to inspire is the purpose I believe I was meant for.

This was a challenge to get ready as I only had 5 weeks to train following our return from Africa. The weekend before thanksgiving I went on my final long training run of 8 miles before the half marathon event which was today. I was very fortunate to enjoy a good run on such a fine day and capture the very last of fall color we were hit with snow the next day.

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