I've joined Team in Training in memory of my brother.

[Ellen Forradalom]

I lost my brother 18 years ago to leukemia. Since then I have wanted to do something in his honor, but the time was not right--I was not well, I had too much going on, I was not ready yet. This year I am in good physical & psychological shape, so I've decided to run a marathon to raise funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

I've trained with TnT over the winter and swam since September to prepare. Now as a group we are preparing to run the San Diego Rock & Roll Marathon. Ventura County TnT is a super nice group of folks and I'm enjoying myself immensely. I have to say, so far the most tiring thing I've done is to prepare a hundred fundraising letters!

Below is an except from my letter:

Charles was a talented and charming young man who left us after a ten-month battle with leukemia on January 1,1990. At 31, he had already accomplished a great deal. He was both a skilled musical performer--playing piano, fiddle, guitar and mandolin on the streets, in clubs, in bands, for improv comedy and stage productions--and an imaginative composer for theater. His credits included Shakespeare’s ‘Titus Andronicus,’ Bertolt Brecht’s ‘Edward II’ and ‘The Caucasian Chalk Circle,’ and ‘Diggory’s Rag and Other Tales,’ based upon stories by Annabelle Thomas. His work won him Joseph Jefferson Awards, Chicago’s Tonys, in 1987 and 1988.

He enriched our lives with his audacious wit, lively intellect and boundless energy. He was a loyal friend, doting brother, and a wise-cracking pain in the neck. In the face of illness, he showed great courage He is sorely missed.


I'll have the link to my TnT fundraising page in my sigline for the next few months. Whatever is donated through this page goes directly to them, not into a secret Swiss bank account, and supports patients and research. If Fortune favors you in the coming months, please consider sharing a bit.

http://www.active.com/donate/tntgla/zrusilla

Thanks for reading my pitch. If there's interest, I'll keep you updated on my training progress.