Alexandra Klaff's Team In Training Page -
I'M RACING TO SAVE LIVES......BE A PART OF THIS NOBLE CAUSE WITH ME AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
Welcome to my Team In Training home page.
CANCER. A word no one wants to hear yet it's a diagnosis too many people hear. Every five minutes, someone in the United States learns that they have leukemia, lymphoma, or myeloma, and every ten minutes a child or adult dies from one of these diseases. While more and more people are becoming survivors of these deadly diseases, there is still no cure. However, the Leukemia Lymphoma's Team in Training, otherwise known as TNT exists for those of us who want to help by raising funds for research and to help improve the lives of those fighting this disease.
This year, I've committed to helping the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society by participating in a Half Ironman event: the Gulf Coast Half Ironman triathlon to be held in Florida May 10, 2008. In this event I will cover 70.3 miles: swimming 1.2 miles, biking 56 miles, and then running 13.1 miles!!
As many of you know, I have been involved with triathlons before but this event will be by far the longest event I have ever done. I will be doing something I love to do and at the same raising money to help the 747,000 Americans fighting this disease. The good news is that the survival rate has risen from 4% in 1960 to 81% in the last decade. This is in part due to the money that The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society has raised to aid researchers in their fight to find cures for this disease.
I want to make a difference and you can too. I would be honored if you would help me by making a donation on this site. My goal is to raise $4,400. No pledge is too small! Every donation counts in the fight against leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma.
Thank you in advance for your generosity and your support!
Alex.
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3/8/08 SNIPPETS FROM MY TRAINING:
I'm just about 9 weeks away from my half-ironman in Florida! It's very exciting (to me) as I look at all the training I've already endured, especially the 20 degree bike rides as my hands and feet felt frozen, the long hilly rides and runs through Loudoun county and today a full two and a half hours of pouring cold rain! Now, who would want to do that? After it's all said and done I can honestly say that I love doing it but I wouldn't do it by myself and I wouldn't be doing it if it weren't for helping others and being involved with TNT. When I think, "there's no way I'm going" I find myself there thinking about all the others who as I write this are undergoing chemo and are fighting to live each day. So, it's all worth it.
Having said all that, I am still hoping spring rolls around SOON and the weather warms up! The hardest part of the training is now underway as we prepare for our 56 mile bike ride in two weeks, a half marathon at the end of the month (DC Marathon) and then an Olympic triathlon the beginning of April. All of this has taken up a lot of time and energy personally and with Tamir traveling a lot the last few weeks it's been challenging.
3/10/08-First hurdle: came down with strep throat. No fun but antibiotics will get me back into full swing soon again.
3/22/08-Another long and hilly bike ride in crazy weather: sleet, hail, a bit of snow and rain. WHEN IS SPRING COMING???!!
3/25/08 - WOW! THANK YOU, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS SUPPORTED ME. Today is a huge day for me. As of today I made my goal and have even gone over that amount! I am humbled by everyone's generosity. This is an incredible step in the process and thank everyone for supporting me but also for wanting to help in this fight to find a cure.
Next thing on the schedule: run the Nation's half marathon this coming weekend.
3/29-I had a great run at the DC half marathon and finished in an hour and 58 minutes. For pictures:
http://www.brightroom.com/go.asp?30898068
My goal was to finish under two hours, so I was thrilled. All I kept thinking was "this is has to be easy, it's only 13.1 miles and I don't have to swim nor bike beforehand!" Crazy I know. The weather seems to be warming up slowly. This weekend I have my long 56 mile bike ride at race pace. I'm looking forward to being out there. I just hope we get some warm days otherwise racing in Florida will be hell with the heat and humidity.
4/5-Recovering from all the illnesses at the house. I also was privileged enough to get the stomach virus. Urgh. Missed my long ride today. Just need to feel more energized. Did an easy 17 miler instead. Felt good to be outside. The weather is warming up, today is a nice day outside....high to be 63 degrees! Hope to get in the long ride this coming week or next weekend. Just hope to keep any illnesses away from our house!
4/10 - Finally got my 56 mile bike ride done in the most beautiful weather! It was a great ride and I felt so much lighter without a jacket, gloves, tights, all the winter gear. It was amazing. Of course I got sunburned!
4/13- I hurt my pinkie toe Friday and it's bruised all around it. Luckily it's just the pinkie toe and although I've had it looked and the diagnosis is that it's broken, I am amazed at how I'm managing. I've realized how I tend to run using the inside of my foot so it doesn't matter! Even with my toe this way I managed to run another 13.1 miles today. It was hard but do-able again.
4/17- I went and hurt another toe on my other foot. Matching bruises on each foot now. I think I need to learn how to walk all over again!
4/22- Just two more weekends before the race. I'm getting excited but really, I am so ready to do this race. I've been preparing for so long it seems and now I just want to do it and see how it goes. I'm hoping to do it under 6:15 or just around that time. We'll see. If the weather is really hot, then that will be another story.
4/26-Today was a tough day. We rode a beautiful 38.5 miles and ran about 3 afterwards. I was exhausted by the time we did the run and now with the heat I'm nervous about running afterwards. We did our last 30 minutes on the bike at race pace and I went all out and was exhausted when it came to the run! Now I take it back about being ready. I'm nervous about the Florida sun and heat once I finish my bike and start my run. I'll need to be out in the heat and sun these next days with layers to acclimate but I do love the weather, so I finally got what I wanted.....
5/2-By next week this time I'll be in Florida! I can't believe this is it! I'm excited. To get an idea of my race go to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgTWNqXPvJE
This was a video from last year's race. Note finish time for the elite: 4.5 hours!
5/4-We had our last group training today. The weather was beautiful. We did an open water swim for about a mile in Reston and it was so much fun. I love the swim portion of this event! Then we biked for about an hour and a half and called it a day. I'm so excited to be finally doing this event. I turn my bike in tomorrow for shipping and then it's me and all of my stuff. The next update will full of "after the event" news. Wish me luck!
5/12-I MADE IT BACK!!! The race went GREAT. I had so much fun but I have to admit that the race was much easier than the travel there and back! I finished in my goal at 6:14 and we had great weather. Hot and a bit windy but perfect. The day after the race was incredibly windy in Panama City so we were lucky. Just a few blisters and two toenails that are bruised but otherwise feeling great. I would do it again in a heartbeat. I will update more when I can.
Words cannot describe what crossing that finish line meant. I finished in my goal 6 hours 14 minutes (my goal was 6:15) and after crossing, it was a feeling of complete relief to finally have done this race. So thank you for supporting and encouraging me and thank you for helping me make a difference to cure blood cancers. Our team of 11 people raised over $50K!!!! I could not have done it without you.
