[bomp] Julia is running...

["Jahna R." <innuendos1@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hey,

Julia (formerly of the Demands) is going run in the NY Marathon to raise $$ 
for a cancer support center.  Send her your pledges!

Hugs,

Jahna

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <RJulie76@aol.com>
To: <RJulie76@aol.com>
Sent: Wednesday, October 05, 2005 6:56 PM
Subject: Supporting My Running Habit ...



October  2005
Dear  Friends,
As all of you know, Ibve  spent the last year training for a marathon.
Although a life-long distance swimmer  and athlete, until last September, I 
had
never run more than 3 miles at a time,  and, the concept of running a 
marathon
would have never crossed my mind.  In May, I entered the lottery for the 
New
York City Marathon and in June, discovered Ibd made the cut!  This 
experience
has been extremely  exciting for me, and while challenging, reconnecting 
with
the athlete within has  helped me grow this past year in ways I could never 
have
 imagined.
Thankfully, I had an inspiring running  partner for the first part of the
experience, and would not have made it had it  not been for him, but 
eventually
found myself training alone.  Ibm used to that isolated training 
 experience b
I spent much of my life surrounded by the solitude and quiet of the  water
with nothing but my thoughts; but I must admit that at some point this 
summer,
as physically (and mentally!) I started to get exhausted by the long and
repetitive runs around the much-too-short road surrounding Central  Park, I
thought  seriously about giving up on the whole process.
I want to tell you about an exciting and  worthwhile opportunity for you to
join me in supporting my marathon training  experience, and, in turn, a
fantastic non-profit organization, the Jennifer S. Fallick Cancer Support 
Center in
Homewood, IL, a suburb of Chicago and my home town (where it all  began!).
This center is very dear  to my heart, and has provided much love and 
support to
my hometown community,  friends and to my family.  They  provide free
counseling, classes, literature and many other wonderful resources  to 
cancer
survivors, their friends and family.  When I was in graduate school, I had 
the
pleasure of working there for a year, and experienced the magic and healing 
the
center and its staff inspires first-hand.
This past year for me has  been wrought with personal challenges.  As all of
you know my mother, Sharon Rogers, passed in August, 2004,  after a valiant
seven-year battle with breast cancer.  A talented pianist, chamber musician,
opera coach and teacher, and an incredibly involved mother of two daughters, 
she
 always supported me in my many, often scattered, artistic, academic, career
and  athletic pursuits.  She had a love  for all sports, including baseball,
ice skating, and especially swimming, and  introduced me to the water when I
could barely walk or talk.  It was her love and encouragement, her 
persistent
presence at swim meets throughout my childhood, high school and  beyond that
helped keep me going through injuries and set-backs.  Even when I was in 
college
in Minnesota  (and for all practical purposes an adult) she crafted homemade
banners for all  the other parents in the stands at conference and made her
own team t-shirt to  express her fairly fanatical and slightly embarrassing
excitement and support of  my college team and of me.   Despite her absence 
now,
it has been in great part the memory of the  dedication she inspired that 
has
helped me through the grueling training process  this past year.
I would like to take this  opportunity to humbly request that all my dear
friends and family consider  sponsoring my marathon plight and helping me 
honor
my mom as I run on November  6th by giving to the Cancer Support Center.  My
mom and my family received so much  needed support from this healing place
during the seven years she lived with  cancer, and it seems only fitting 
that a
place that so contributed to her life  and my life with her should benefit 
from
my return to the world of  athletics!  You can either pledge  per mile of 
the
marathon (itbs 26.2), or donate an amount of your choosing.  All donations 
are
tax deductable.  For more information on the Center, you  can visit its
website at _http://cancersupportcenter.org_ 
(http://cancersupportcenter.org/) .
If youbd like to donate,  please respond to this email with your name,
address, phone # and amount youbd  like to give.  Ibll be in touch  closer 
to the
marathon and let you know how things are going and give you all  the 
necessary
details about your donations.  If you have any questions, let me know  and I
will be happy to answer them!
Thanks so much to all of you  for the countless ways youbve supported me, 
not
only this past year but  always.
With  Love,
Julia

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