Okay, so I know absolutely nothing about blogging.  I guess it is kind of like having a journal (except everyone can read it so be careful what you say)!  For today, I will keep it simple.  This is the original font and text size (yes, I will be boring).  Anyway, why am I blogging?  Mainly to tell you all about my wonderful, amazing running experiences as I sweat my way through training in order to finish my first marathon.  First and foremost, I am not just doing this for FUN (yes, I did say FUN), but to raise money for a very worthy cause:  The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  Unfortunately, cancer hits home for most of us.  It is remarkebly more prevalent than we wish to believe.  I know this very well because my father faced it.  I am here now to make amends with the world and figure out what I can do to give back in some little way.  I am also here to show my mother (up in heaven… at least I can only believe that she somehow has the capacity to watch me) that I can run 26.2 miles with ease, just as she did many times during her life.  Oh, how I hated when she would drag me to those fun runs (at that time in my life they were not FUN at all).  I remember going with her to the Portland marathon and participating in a much shorter run.  I was proud of her for finishing that race.  I think she will be proud of me for even making an effort to run.

So, today I ran.  I ran up and then I ran down.  I ran up again and then down again.  Yes, hills are really so much FUN.  Well, at least they are to my running buddy.  She must be crazy because she told me that going up was her favorite.  I would have to say that I totally disagree.  I love the thrill of running down a hill.  If we could get to all places by going downhill, I would be a much happier person (yet, I have been a student of physics and I know that is not possible… what goes up must come down and what goes down must eventually come back up and that involves WORK).  Anyway, it is a great group of people doing a great service to those who battle cancer.  I am very pleased to be a part of it.  I have a feeling that this will not be my last marathon, nor will it be my last effort to raise money for LLS.

Right!  About the money.  I am the advocate, you are the true hero.  Even just a few dollars goes a long ways (from math class: “it all adds up”).  Since I am not sure how to post links on this page, here is my website:  http://pages.teamintraining.org/ncfl/wdw11/haponte (wow!  I have never had so many websites to my name… okay, so it is just two but that is a lot for me).

Check back frequently for updates!  You will love them… trust me 🙂