I’m beginning to train for the 4K this summer! I do not have my bike yet, so I have resorted to training at the gym on the stationary bikes for now. I completed 20 miles on Monday and 25 and Tuesday. It may seem boring to spend so much time on a stationary bike but luckily the UF gym has TVs and iPod docks on every stationary bike so I’m good to go (and not bored).

Big priorities this week: Get through midterms, call hosts, raise money. 

Btw: As one of the third leg leaders and part of the leadership team, I have the task of  contacting hosts on the third leg and trying to confirm exactly where we’ll be staying this summer. The challenge out west is resources. We’ll be visiting several rural communities in southern Utah and Northern Nevada and hence our ability to receive food donations and accommodations is limited. Got ideas? Let me know!

I thought I’d give y’all a look at Leg 1 of our final route. Please join us for our sendoff ceremony on the morning of Sunday, May 29th at the Inner Harbor in Baltimore. Are we visiting your town/city? Take a look. If we are, come join us at a community dinner (locations TBA)! The other 2 legs will be posted soon!

Day 1  // Sun 5/29/2011 :   Baltimore, MD to Poolesville, MD
Day 2  // Mon 5/30/2011 :   Dale City, VA
Day 3  // Tue 5/31/2011 :   Louisa, VA

Day 4  // Wed 6/01/2011 :   Waynesboro, VA
Day 5  // Thu 6/02/2011 :   Lexington, VA
Day 6  // Fri 6/03/2011 :   Blacksburg, VA
Day 7  // Sat 6/04/2011 :  DAY OFF
Day 8  // Sun 6/05/2011 :   Marion, VA
Day 9  // Mon 6/06/2011 :   Honaker, VA
Day 10  // Tue 6/07/2011 :   Pippa Passes, KY
Day 11  // Wed 6/08/2011 :   Vincent, KY
Day 12  // Thu 6/09/2011 :   Harrodsburg, KY
Day 13  // Fri 6/10/2011 :   Mammoth Cave NP, KY
Day 14  // Sat 6/11/2011 :   DAY OFF
Day 15  // Sun 6/12/2011 :   Whitesville, KY
Day 16  // Mon 6/13/2011 :   Cave-in-Rock, IL
Day 17  // Tue 6/14/2011 :   Carbondale, IL 
Day 18  // Wed 6/15/2011 :   Farmington, MO
Day 19  // Thu 6/16/2011 :   Houston, MO
Day 20  // Fri 6/17/2011 :   Springfield, MO
Day 21  // Sat 6/18/2011 :  DAY OFF
Day 22  // Sun 6/19/2011 :   Girard, KS
Day 23  // Mon 6/20/2011 :   Fall River, KS
Day 24  // Tue 6/21/2011 :   Wichita, KS

I’m sitting in the Atlanta airport and guess what? I was walking towards my gate and I ran into the SIU Baseball team! For those of you who don’t know, I lived in Carbondale for a several years when I was younger (and while my parents were students at SIU). Naturally, I’m a huuuge SIU fan! Anyhow, I struck up a conversation with some of the guys (who all seem very nice btw). It turns out they’re flying back home after playing South Carolina. Unfortunately, they did lose a 3 game series to the #7 ranked Gamecocks.

How is this relevant to the 4K?

The baseball team has dealt with a very difficult tragedy this year. Their coach Dan Callahan died from skin cancer last November. Ken Henderson was named interim coach and has been given the task of bringing the team together. http://tinyurl.com/4bcu46p 

I never mentioned the 4K to the team. We will likely spend a night in Carbondale this summer. If we do I think I’ll try to get a hold of Coach Henderson and let them know what’s up. GO SALUKIS! :)

Ok, now off to Tampa. Looks like I won’t be back in Gville until 3am. I have class at 7:25am too…Yikes!

I stumbled upon this by accident a few minutes ago. This is heartbreaking. It’s another reason why we must all come together and fight this battle together.

chameleonmagic:

My neighbor just lost her 4-5 year battle with cancer. I used to teach her daughters piano. She was a really good person, always friendly and always so talkative. This is the second woman I’ve known to die of cancer. What’s worse is that this same family lost a baby girl a year or two before my neighbor was diagnosed with cancer. This baby girl died of a brain tumor. I can’t even imagine what her daughters are going through right now. They lost a sister and now they lost a mother and they’re not even sixteen yet.