I began my new 5:30am training regimen this morning. Machi, my mid-week walking partner, and I walked from Kezar to 26th Avenue and back, approximately 3 miles altogether. It felt good.

Since the days are getting increasingly shorter, my goal is to continue my early morning trainings on M, T, W, and F. I am reserving Thursday evenings to train with the runners at Kezar. I consider that my "endurance" training. :)

In case there's some confusion with the "walk" vs. "run" terminology, let me explain. John and I are both training with the Leukemia Society's Team-in-Training (TNT) program. TNT supports both a Run Team and a Walk Team. John is on the Run Team, whereas I am on the Walk Team. Since I have never been much of a runner (I am currently able to run about 2.5 miles without stopping), the idea of RUNNING 26.2 miles is TERRIFYING, so my goal is to walk-run the Honolulu Marathon.

Based on Saturday's 13 mile "Buddy Walk" (a local team training), I am averaging 13.8 minute miles (ie: I finished 13 miles in 3 hours). It was my first really difficult training. I felt good up until the 11th mile. The last 2 miles were torturous as a result of major chafing between my inner thighs. OUCH! Thankfully, my mentor, Rita, came along with some heavenly Vaseline! Thank you, Rita!

This Friday, John and I will be attending Uncle Jud's funeral. Uncle Jud, a warm, loving, and generous man battled melanoma (with metastases) for about 4 years and passed away last Friday night. So I walk in Uncle Jud's memory. I walk in my mother's memory. I walk in Rodney's memory. I walk in Rita's sister's memory, in Doris's brother-in-law's memory, in Dr. Spiller's father's memory, and in Terry's aunt's memory. And I walk in honor of my "honorees" (persons currently fighting leukemia): Andy, Laurel, little Josh, and Kellie's friend.

I want to take this opportunity to collectively thank our sponsors for their generous donations to the Leukemia Society and also for sharing with us their loved ones, who have also been touched by cancer. Thank you all.