The first time I heard of Team In Training (TNT) and raising money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) was when my friend and I wanted to run the Nike Women's Half in D.C. We filled out the application and got accepted and started raising money, not having a clue about where this path was going to lead us. It was at that time that I began to realize the impact leukemia and lymphoma have had on my family and friends, whether they or a loved one had gone through treatment. I wrote all of their names on my singlet and carried them with me along that course.
A year later, I ran a local race with TNT and was again blown away by the new names I would need to add to my new singlet. The stories shared with me and the honor I felt wearing their names while I ran left an imprint on my heart.
At the end of 2014, my husband's Uncle Paul, who we all adored, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma (MM). He went through various treatments and was doing well, but things took a turn, and he needed to be back in the hospital for monitoring. It was at this time that I had applied to the Boston Marathon team in his honor. I found out I made the team on Halloween. Two weeks later, he passed. My work with training and fundraising became in his memory. I raised almost $11K that season. The 2016 race day was much warmer than the cold winter training, and I was struggling, so I started thinking about my “why,” Uncle Paul. At mile 20ish, I ran through a cheer section, and they all started chanting, “Paul!” While I understand that it was a runner near me with his name on his shirt, at that moment when I needed it, I felt Uncle Paul, who used to be a runner, with me on the course.
Raising money for LLS has become so much more than just fundraising. I gained a community of fellow runners working for the same cause who shared their stories and many miles with me. I continue to be reminded of the strength and determination the people around me have and quietly carry around.
I turned 40 this past summer, and one of my running goals was always to run a marathon that year. I spent much of December 2023 and January researching various nearby marathons. I realized I missed out on the Chicago lottery, so I went to the TNT site, and put my name in expressing interest should spots open up.
In March, I had determined which race I would do, but for some reason never registered.
While I have had aunts, uncles, coworkers, and friends battle some form of lymphoma or leukemia, I've never had something so close and heavier than the reason I applied to run Chicago that weekend.
On Tuesday, April 9, my best friend brought her son to our local pediatric urgent care at night after he continued to complain that he just couldn't breathe between coughing fits. After some swab tests, they decided to do a chest X-ray which resulted in them being sent immediately to Boston Children's. I will never forget the crying voice message she left me at 3:30 a.m. in the morning, sounding frantic and terrified at what this could mean for her child and her family. He found out the day before his 17th birthday that he had T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma (T-LL).
On Wednesday, April 19, as I was about to get out of my car to pick up my son at school, I received a text from Team In Training. My heart sped up, and I got the chills because I'm a person who believes in fate, and for this message to unknowingly come at a time when the world felt like it was tipping over felt like incredible timing. I immediately filled out the application and waited to hear back.
Of course, we know what happened because here I am with all of you.
Running has always been how I work through life ― scary things, heartbreaking things, stressful things, and joyful things. It's how I choose to give back and honor people who can no longer run or just can't run right now for one reason or another. I knew I needed to run for my bestie and her family.
To be able to run in honor of Jake and support the mission to cure blood cancer in his name while he is doing the hardest, scariest thing of his life is something I can't quite put into words. Jake is kicking ass through his three-times-a-week treatments in Boston and then showing up on the soccer field and the senior year high school events, and just having the best attitude about his current situation. He has inspired me more than he will ever know. He is on my mind every training run when shit gets hard.
We run because we can. We raise money because we care, and together we create the best community I have ever had the pleasure of being a part of. When you are out there tomorrow, enjoy every step of all this hard work you have put into training and raising money, and remember what brought you here, and who brought you here. I can only hope that at some point in my life, I read the news that a cure for blood cancer has been discovered. GO, TEAM!
Nicolasa
Family Member and Advocate
