Peggy Simon's Ski Team In Training Page

Striding to Save Lives

To read my latest entries, scroll down the page

Welcome to my Team In Training home page.

For the third year in a row, I’m training to ski in an endurance event as a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team In Training. Once again, I am training to cross-country ski 25km (about 15 miles) in The Tour of Anchorage on March 4, 2007.

All of us on Team In Training are raising funds to help stop leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma from taking more lives. I'm completing this event in honor of all individuals who are battling blood cancers. These people are the real heroes on our team, and we need your support to cross the ultimate finish line - a cure!

This year, I am dedicating my season to two amazing friends who were diagnosed with forms of blood cancer since the 2006 Tour of Anchorage. Victoria is bravely and gracefully battling acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) in San Francisco, while my childhood friend, Barbara, is tackling B-cell lymphoma with humor and confidence in West Virginia.

Both of these women are on their way to beating these ugly diseases. I love them both. It is because of them that I am compelled to brush off my skis, get up at 4:00am every other Saturday during ski season, and hit the snow again.

With your generous contribution, Victoria, Barbara, and all blood cancer patients will have a much better chance of winning their battles. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society funds research that results in new treatments and medications to ease suffering and prolong lives. A cure will come – with your help.

Please make a donation to support my participation in Team In Training and help advance the Society's mission.

I hope you'll visit my web site often. Be sure to check back frequently to see my progress. Thanks for your support!

Stay Slick!

Peggy

NOVEMBER 29, 2006

On Saturday, we will hit the snow for the first time this season! I'm really excited. We'll be going to Bear Valley.

To get there in time to be on the snow and ready to ski at 9:30am, M'lis (my friend and former roommate) and I will be leaving my apartment at 5:00am!! This season, she and I will be renting a Subaru Legacy all-wheel drive car for our trips to the mountains.

So...I've been continuing to work with my FABULOUS personal trainer, Anthony, at the JCC in Foster City. It's amazing what I huff and puff my way through with his encouragement.

Besides the first team hike in San Francisco on November 11, my friends Sarah and Robin and I spent a weekend in Olema (Marin). In addition to eating, drinking, laughing, talking (and...sadly, watching the Wolverines fall to the Buckeyes), we took two beautiful hikes at Point Reyes National Seashore.

On the first hike, we were led partway by first, a deer, and then a butterfly. It was really lovely. We hiked for about 3 hours to the beach and back. The "back" was mostly uphill, so we got a great workout.

The second day, we took a shorter and less strenuous hike to a meadow, again at PR National Seashore. It is just beautiful there. There are many more trails to explore.

Last weekend, I took a (sub)urban hike from my apartment to downtown San Carlos. I walked to the day spa where M'lis does her magical massage work. She was with clients, so I didn't see her. But, it turns out that the spa is three miles from my apartment, so that was a good walk.

The point of telling you all of this is so you know that I am putting in some real time training so my skiing this season will be as effortless and fun as possible. I'll let you know how it goes this weekend...

DECEMBER 19, 2006

Well, I never did write about that first ski weekend. I apologize for that. I was a bit wobbly, the weather was beautiful, but the snow conditions were far from the best. So, I'll fast forward to this past weekend...which ROCKED!!

I rode up to Bear Valley Friday night with 3 teammates and we arrived at Base Camp Lodge at 1:00am! I know it sounds unpleasant, but it actually beats getting up at home at 4:00am on Saturday morning to arrive there by 9:00 to ski at 9:30.

I slept like a log and woke up to snow flurries. In the morning, we worked on hills (my downfall – no pun intended) as the snow picked up. It even hailed for awhile. We all persevered and finally, in my third season, I am starting to get the hang of hills. In the afternoon I continued to practice downhill and was feeling pretty comfortable.

Sunday was a picture perfect day on the trails. The sky was blue and the scenery was gorgeous. I skied up a trail that had always intimidated me on the downhill. I skied down it without falling! I was thrilled.

These challenges of mine on the ski trails, however, are extremely minor compared to those of the people you and I know who are fighting leukemia and lymphoma.

As the holiday season is upon us, I hope you will think of those who are battling leukemia and lymphoma, but who can be helped by current and future research in blood cancers. I hope you will choose LLS as a recipient of one of your year-end donations.

Your contribution to my effort to raise money to find a cure for blood cancers makes a difference. With your donation, important research is funded and a cure becomes closer. Every dollar helps.

I wish you and your families a happy, healthy holiday season.