Monday, June 15, 2009

Go Anchorage Team!

I will always have a special affinity for any TNT team going to the Anchorage Marathon, because that was my very first event, and my first marathon. It is one of the all-time fantastic memories of my life.

Tonight, the Anchorage Team had their send-off and I crashed their party. I had asked for an invitation because two of my awesome spring team mentees, Cathy and Kathy, transferred from the Nashville Team after our season started. Cathy did so because she just decided that if she was going to do a marathon and raise thousands of dollars - she has raised $30,000+ or what it took three of my seasons to raise - she might as well race in Alaska. And Kathy got a nasty stress fracture early in our training and switched to the summer team after she recovered. So I wanted to see each of them off at their send-off. I am really proud of both of them. Kathy's daughter, Kayla, is a double leukemia survivor and so this cause is very special to their family. Kayla was there tonight, and so I got to meet her, which was great, because I had written her name on my Nashville race shirt.

We had a great team dinner at PF Changs, and in addition to the Anchorage Team and Amber, former coaches and teammates Sarah and Michal were there, plus Coach Chuck B., who I have never trained with but know from prior events. They are such a good group of people!

It was a lot of fun to be part of their celebration, and if I win the lottery tomorrow night, I will be up there cheering for them in person! Here is my little tribute to them. North! To Alaska!

Great job!
On to Alaska!

A
wesome scenery!
North Star!
Changing lives!
Helping cancer patients!
Overcoming obstacles!
Racing for a cure!
Accomplishments you will always remember
Getting closer to kicking cancer to the curb!
Extraordinary!

T
hank you from your patient honorees!
Everyone of you is amazing!
Achieving great things!
M
emories to last a lifetime!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!

4 comments:

TNTcoach Ken said...

What a great guy, crashing their party!!! I'll be yelling at every Cathy/Kathy I see in Anchorage.

o2bhiking said...

Coach Ken - if I win the lottery tonight, I'm crashing your Anchorage party and BEvERages will be on me!!!!!

They are both in the half-marathon and Team Virginia has a little heart on their jersey. I think at least 2 other Kathys or Cathys are on Virginia's Team, but cheer for them all!

Have a great time, it is so awesome up there! Art

Elsbeth said...

Woohoo, Anchorage!!! You're such a great mentor, Art. I plan on crashing my mentees' sendoff for Dublin in October. :)

While Team Tucson (unfortunately) doesn't offer Anchorage anymore, the people who did participate in it a few years ago still talk about it. It was, hands down, their favorite event to date.

If they ever offer it again, I'm signing up without hesitation!

o2bhiking said...

Oh Elsbeth - if you ever get the chance, DO IT!!!!! It is one of the most incredible experiences of my life. Of course, it was my first time, but even so....