Rumors About Art and Team in Training

Hello Everyone!

Eight years ago this spring from surviving lymphoma, I am racing for a cure once again for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. I am asking you to consider supporting my 2010 Cancer Kickin' Campaign by making a donation to the mission of curing blood cancers.

I guess there are always going to be rumors going around – that is just human nature – and recently, there have been some pretty interesting ones circulating that I want to take a moment to dispel.

Rumor # 1: “Did you hear that Art has permanently retired from doing Team in Training?” This is totally false! In fact, I am back with the TNT Summer Team, training for the Seattle half-marathon and fundraising for a cure for blood cancers. I would very much appreciate your support of this great cause. You can make a secure donation here:

http://pages.teamintraining.org/va/rnrseatl10/art_ritter

I think this rumor got started when people confused me with Green Bay Packers, er New York Jets, er Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre and all the times that he retired forever. I can understand why there was this confusion, of course. We are both manly men. We are both ruggedly handsome. We are both incredible athletes. We are both so famous we can’t go anywhere in public without being harassed by fans. We both wear purple uniforms when we compete. We are both getting a little old for doing this kind of thing. We are both fabulously wealthy. Okay, only one of us is fabulously wealthy. And yeah, maybe one or two of those other things was slightly exaggerated. But here is one thing about both Brett Favre and me that is true: we have both been affected by cancer; Favre through his wife; me, personally, and through my sister, sister-in-law, brother, and many other family members and friends. So, yes, I am indeed back out for another cancer kicking campaign, and would love for you to join me with a donation.

Rumor # 2: “Did you hear that cancer is cured now? So why is Art doing this again?” Cancer is most decidedly not cured. Every ten minutes, someone dies in this country from one of the blood cancers. In the five minutes that it takes you to read this note (and forward it to five friends if you wish), another American is diagnosed with a blood cancer. And that is from just one type of cancer. But your donation can get us just a bit closer to a cure.

Rumor # 3: “Did you know that Art is 85 years old? Isn’t that, like, too old to run a half-marathon?” I am 58, not 85. I can see where the confusion came in. I have said that the number of this TNT event for me (number five) and my years this spring since surviving cancer (eight) match my age. People just reversed the numbers, 8 and 5 instead of 5 and 8. I am putting the five and the eight in 58 this spring with this race! I have to say, there are times after training that I feel 85, though. It gets a little tougher each year, and I must seem like an old man to many of my young teammates. So make a donation to support this “ole man’s” cause while I can still do it!

Rumor # 4: “Cancer survivors too weak to do a marathon!” Some may be, but not this one, and not many others that I know. One reason I do this is to make a statement that cancer survivors are able to fully recover and be physically strong again. Maybe that will give someone else currently dealing with cancer some hope.

Rumor # 5: “Did you know that Art is a huge Dallas Cowboys fan? He even wears a Cowboys hat while training!” Not so! Cut my hand and I bleed Philadelphia Eagles green. Eagles fans are typically not Cowboys fans, believe me, and especially not this year when they totally humiliated us two weeks in a row. But here is a special offer that expires midnight on Super Bowl Sunday: if you are a Cowboys fan, make me a $100 donation and I will wear a Cowboys cap (that you provide) for a week at work. I’ll even expand the offer to wear the cap of any other team for a $50 donation! Dallas fans, “cowboy up” with that donation and make my humiliation complete!

I am excited to be out there with Team in Training again, trying to make a difference in the world. I greatly appreciate your support, because while I can run the race myself, I cannot race for a cure without the support of lots and lots of people.

Thank you,
Art Ritter