Sandi Kissane's Team In Training Page
Racing to Save Lives & Honor My Sister
Welcome to my Team In Training home page.
I am training to participate in an endurance event as a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team In Training. All of us on Team In Training are raising funds to help stop leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma from taking more lives. I'm completing this event in honor of my wonderful sister Lori and 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!
I'm a Starbuck's junkie--I love the triple venti latte. Today, I finally did the math and do you know I spend $111.60 on these lattes a month? Well, I decided for the duration of my training I'm going to give up the latte and divert that money (per month) to this event. Maybe you have something in your life you could consider re-routing as a donation to this very worthy cause? 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!
March 1st--First training ride with my new teammates! It was cold & we rode in the snow for part of the time but it was a great ride! Scenic and sunny and my legs felt great. This is going to be fun!!!!
March 6--Clear sunny day calls for a ride. I'm picking my bike up from the shop today, it's been in for a much needed tune up. Today is now day 5 without my lattes! Woo hoo!
March 7--Rainy & Cold so I took a long spin on the trainer indoors. Covered 12 miles in 35 minutes!
March 22--Alright, I know it looks like I haven't been training at all but that just isn't the case. Last week was spring break and I rode 20 miles on a rented beach cruiser--doesn't that count for something? Today though, today was the real test. 40 miles of mega hills in sleet, rain & snow! It was a great ride and a wonderful opportunity to get to know some of my teammates. Here's one thing that is very motivating. These folks, although talented, aren't elite athletes, they are just ordinary people doing something very extraordinary. Talk on the ride isn't the gear head chat you'd expect. People talk about the challenges of their honored teammate or their brother or their friend or the mother of a friend or their own mother...and it goes on and on. People talk about the need to get off the sidelines and do something to help. Cancer, it would seem, is not a spectator sport--everyone who gets involved has the potential to effect the outcome for someone else. You don't have to ride 100 miles to get off the sidelines...all you have to do is offer your support and there you have it--you become part of the team!!!
March 24 & 25th--Spinning my little legs to the amazement of my three little doggies!
March 26th--Intended to join 2 of my teammates for a ride but somehow missed them in the parking lot. Not to fear, 3 other riders invited me along with them and I neatly got my wheels smoked! Those women were fast and made me climb an outrageous hill! Humbling and a great workout! Be wary of friendly other athletes in parking lots! LOL!
March 27--Shamrocks to the rescue! Nice day! Posted a plea for help with fund raising on my old high school's website and within 20 minutes Shamrocks were tossing their financial and moral support my way. I love being from a small community! One of my sister's classmates (also a lymphoma survivor) reminded me how touched their class (1984) has been by cancer in particular. Being reminded of that adds a greater sense of urgency to this cause and makes me even more acutely aware of how these cancers can take their toll on a community. Busy day and so as far as training goes I was able to get in a spinning workout today--love the sweat and the racing heart beat!
March 28--Did I mention I'm also training for a half marathon? So, today was a 7-mile run! Who knew I could run that far without something life-threatening chasing me???
March 31-- I did a 41 mile ride on my own today. Not a bad ride entirely, but it was cold and windy. My ride covered at least two states...started in Maryland, passed through DC, rode along the Mt Vernon trail in Virginia for a spell and then back again. Oh yea, and it was cold today. Nonetheless, many tourists out looking at the cherry blossoms so it was crowded on the trails. I'm looking forward to the next long ride!
April 1st--Today was a running and so was able to knock out a 5-mile run before heading out to work. Took me just an hour, not breaking any speed records for sure but am having a great time!
April 2nd--Back indoors spinning--when is the sun going to come back out?
