Quest for a Half Marathon

• home page: (this page) has some pertinant statistics and describes what it was all about.
• TNT Training Log (or Blog!) describes the training and the race, with mileage charts and other info. Also includes my view from 6 months after the race and training for another race.
• photo gallery chronicles my transformation into part of the purple wave
• Running links page with useful resources
• My second half marathon, in August 2003.

If you just stopped by and are interested in supporting research into leukemia, don't be shy! While my fundraising for this race is now over, you can still support the team. Maybe one of your friends or coworkers is running for TNT. Or, you can send a check to your local chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. If you're in San Diego, chapter information is here.

If you are curious about what it's like to run with TNT, or thinking about joining--feel free to email me and ask questions. This is an amazing, life-affirming program with wonderful people and a vital cause. I heartily recommend it!

Statistics
Number of miles I ran during the TNT program (26 Jan 02 - 28 Apr 02)	234
Distance of a half marathon	13.1 miles
Longest training run previous to race	12 miles
Longest run previous to beginning TNT training	5 miles
Running shoes	Brooks Addiction IV
Race number	3886
Total registered runners	4870
Total timed runners	4084
Race time (chip time--it took ~4 minutes to cross the starting line, which is why the timer reads 2.46)	2h 42m
My overall place	3999
My division place	340, out of 353 women in my age division
Fastest split	10m/mile
Slowest split	I stopped looking!
Training injuries	plantar fasciitis, achilles tendinitis, shinsplints, stress fracture
Total money raised for my run	$6780
Number of individual donors	76
Number of donors whom I have never met	6
Average donation	$89, range $10 - $500
Coroporate donations	1
Most distant donor	Edinburgh, Scotland
Number of donors from outside the US	2 (Canada and Scotland)
Number of people diagnosed with leukemia in the US this year	109,500
How often a person dies of leukemia in the US	every 9 minutes

What?

The Team in Training is a comprehensive endurance training program for runners, cyclists, walkers, and triathletes at all levels. Participants join each quarter to train for a variety of races: half and full marathons, century bikerides, and triathalons. They benefit from expert training, team support, race entries, and travel, if their race is out of town. In return, we raise money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, which funds research into causes and treatments of blood-related cancers. We raise enough money to cover expenses, plus provide a minimum of 75% of the total raised to the cause. More than 25,000 athletes will participate throughout the US this year, 1200 of them in San Diego. The San Diego/Hawaii chapter alone expects to raise $2.8million this year!

When?

Where?

Who?

but in real life, I'm an Associate Professor of Molecular and Cell Biology at the Salk Institute Cancer Center, and a Leukemia & Lymphoma Society-funded research scientist. In March 2002 I was named a Stohlman Scholar of the Society.

But no TNT athlete runs alone. Who else is making this possible?

• First and foremost, there's my honored teammate Dylan, (at right) a 10-year old leukemia survivor. Dylan connects all of us to the reason TNT exists, and why its effort is so important. Helping great kids like Dylan is what research is really all about. TNT runners have a saying: If you think 26.2 miles is hard, try chemotherapy. Try chemotherapy when you are 4 years old. Puts a whole new perspective on fitness running, doesn't it?
• Coach Brian and Assitant Coach Michele, who utter the mantra "water bottles" and answer endless e-mails about twinges, hurts, and pains;
• Mentors Scott and Kimberly who have completed the program previously and are coming back for more;
• Kristin, the indefatigable North County Coordinator and TNT triathlete;
• Lisa, my weekday running partner, who willingly runs around the entire UCSD campus with me at lunchtime;
• The TNT North County Run team including new friends like Marcia who runs at my pace, Mentor Jen the Team Spirit Leader, Picture Dave our indefatigable team photographer, and Mentor Rick who oten leads the stretches and runs sweep.
• The other motivated members of the San Diego/Hawaii team and chapter , walkers, runners, and bikers, who help to create the purple wave,
• Will you join the Team too, as a sponsor? Keep reading!

Why?

• The Leukemia Society has supported my research for 5 years, and this way I can give something back.
  
• Research matters. The good news is that many more children are surviving the diagnosis. The bad news is that leukemia is still the biggest killer of children under 14, and even worse, ten times as many adults as children will suffer from this disease.
• I turn 40 this year. Aren't you supposed to do something big when you turn 40?
• And of course the real reason....purple is my favorite color!

How?

Your part: please give generously to sponsor me in this effort, and pass the word along to friends and colleagues. My original goal was to raise $3000. Thanks to your support, I succeeded! I set a revised goal of $6000, which we reached on April 11th, and we are still going strong. Check out the fundraising thermometer to see how we are doing!

Your tax-deductable donation will go to the national Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and will support competitive, peer-reviewed research into the causes and treatments of blood-related cancers--research that includes basic science, like mine, as well as clinical studies.

Importantly, the Society does a terrific job of delivering the donations where they count, with minimal overhead: at least 75% of the money raised goes right into its programs, one of the best rates for any charity. In San Diego alone, there are 37 investigators funded by the Society, ranging from postdoctoral fellows to professors at many institutions. Our chapter (San Diego/Hawaii) also provides patient services for people fighting this disease.

Donations are tax deductable and you will receive an official receipt in the mail. I will add your name to this web site; if you want your donation made in honor of or memory of someone, I'll add their name too. Corporate sponsorships are available, which can include logo placement on banners and team jerseys in San Diego, plus additional benefits.

Find out more

• Email me at forsburg@salk.edu for more information or if you have any questions.
• Print out a donation form
• Keep track of my progress, in fundraising and running, at my TNT training log
• Pictures and running links
• Check out the list on this page of the great folks who are making this possible!
• Short of $$$? You can still make a big difference--consider volunteering a few hours to help with logistics at a weekend training run, or at a race. Contact me for more info.
• Graph of my weekly mileage

Will you help?

Terrific Team Pombe Sponsors
My thanks to all of you for your generous support and warm encouragement.