Both my wife's and my father died of cancer. We'd done the Relay For Life before, mostly because it was like an all night party... When one of my wife's best friends died of breast cancer I decided to go all out the following year. I hit everyone up for donations... friends, co-workers and was even allowed to hit up our companies vendor…
Both my wife's and my father died of cancer. We'd done the Relay For Life before, mostly because it was like an all night party... When one of my wife's best friends died of breast cancer I decided to go all out the following year. I hit everyone up for donations... friends, co-workers and was even allowed to hit up our companies vendors. When I asked for a donation on a per mile bases, they asked how far I planned to run... I heard all kinds of laughter but everyone donated knowing I'd never hit it... Then I got Tee shirts and had people write on them the name of anyone they knew of who'd had cancer. Up to this point the furtherist I'd ever run was a full marathon... I started at 5:30 in the morning and had a route that would put me back by either my or my daughter's house until they started the official kickoff at the local HS track at 5:00 in the evening. I changed socks, shoes and hit the restroom after pushing fluids all morning and afternoon... I learned the hard way years earlier that walking was harder on your feet than slowly jogging...
I lasted until a little after 11:00pm... my wife picked me up and drove me home...when I called, she jokingly asked why I couldn't just run home, it was only 2 miles!
At the time I was 62 and my final total was 63 miles... I collected a little over $5800... People at the time thought I was nuts... my response was to them was, "what would you do to save a life?" This was my way of raising money to help those I couldn't physically help myself.
Thank you for this story Steve. I have been a runner (now 62) for most of my life but am now going through chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer that has spread to the liver so now limited to walks on most days. Thank you for your persistence and dedication for funds raised for Relay of Life ... your many miles helped a lot of people with care and hope.
Oh my goodness, you are so nice! I sure wasn't expecting any response so thank you for your encouragement. Overall, am doing well. Aggrssuve chemo every other week through November. Am approaching each treatment with feeling that can conquer it. Post chemo and pump, there are some hard days but then day by day, I feel pretty good again. We lost my brother to pancreatic cancer on December 31st; so when family learned of same diagnosis for me just four months later, we all had a lot to process. Someone has to beat it, and it may as well be me. All my years of running will get me there. I just know it!! Thank you again!
Steve, you have the most amazing stories, my friend. And I did not know that about walking being harder on your feet than slowly jogging! I'm simply in awe.
Both my wife's and my father died of cancer. We'd done the Relay For Life before, mostly because it was like an all night party... When one of my wife's best friends died of breast cancer I decided to go all out the following year. I hit everyone up for donations... friends, co-workers and was even allowed to hit up our companies vendors. When I asked for a donation on a per mile bases, they asked how far I planned to run... I heard all kinds of laughter but everyone donated knowing I'd never hit it... Then I got Tee shirts and had people write on them the name of anyone they knew of who'd had cancer. Up to this point the furtherist I'd ever run was a full marathon... I started at 5:30 in the morning and had a route that would put me back by either my or my daughter's house until they started the official kickoff at the local HS track at 5:00 in the evening. I changed socks, shoes and hit the restroom after pushing fluids all morning and afternoon... I learned the hard way years earlier that walking was harder on your feet than slowly jogging...
I lasted until a little after 11:00pm... my wife picked me up and drove me home...when I called, she jokingly asked why I couldn't just run home, it was only 2 miles!
At the time I was 62 and my final total was 63 miles... I collected a little over $5800... People at the time thought I was nuts... my response was to them was, "what would you do to save a life?" This was my way of raising money to help those I couldn't physically help myself.
Thank you for this story Steve. I have been a runner (now 62) for most of my life but am now going through chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer that has spread to the liver so now limited to walks on most days. Thank you for your persistence and dedication for funds raised for Relay of Life ... your many miles helped a lot of people with care and hope.
My heart goes out to you, Rita -- I know I speak for everyone here when I say that we're all pulling for you 🙏 How are you feeling?
Oh my goodness, you are so nice! I sure wasn't expecting any response so thank you for your encouragement. Overall, am doing well. Aggrssuve chemo every other week through November. Am approaching each treatment with feeling that can conquer it. Post chemo and pump, there are some hard days but then day by day, I feel pretty good again. We lost my brother to pancreatic cancer on December 31st; so when family learned of same diagnosis for me just four months later, we all had a lot to process. Someone has to beat it, and it may as well be me. All my years of running will get me there. I just know it!! Thank you again!
Steve, you have the most amazing stories, my friend. And I did not know that about walking being harder on your feet than slowly jogging! I'm simply in awe.