country music marathon: headin' home, ya'll

This weekend, I'm headin' down south for the Country Music Marathon on Saturday, April 24th.  Part of the Rock n' Roll marathon series, the Country Music Marathon is a tour of downtown Nashville, Tennessee, with bands scattered along the 13.1 or 26.2 mile course.

The race begins in Centennial Park and continues along many of Nashville's famous sights: music row, Belmont University, the State Capitol Building, the Cumberland River, Shelby Park, Shelby Bottoms Greenway, & ends outside LP Field, home of the Tennessee Titans.

And if I'm lucky, I might even get a sneak peak of this little gem along the way.

Truth be told, my preparation has included very little running. In fact, almost none at all. I like to think of my preparation as more mental than physical...and my motivation for crossing the finish line on Sunday? My mom and dad. Not letting them beat me, that is.

My mom Gerry and dad Glenn will be racing the half marathon, following months of preparation to run their first half marathons, and I could not be more proud! Stay tuned for post-race highlights and photos...

Speaking of Tennessee...I grew up about 30 miles down the road from Nashville, in a town called Murfreesboro- yes, that's right, THE geographic center of Tennessee. Mufreesboro's centricity is only one of the many reasons that I love Tennessee. Here are some others: the Vols, the ice, the (former) World's Largest Red Cedar Bucket (RIP), Jeff Fisher & those Tennessee Titans, the whiskey, the food, and the music!

Feel free to share the things that you love about the Volunteer State...

i'm on a boat...

It's right around the corner, so save that date! Details to come...

thinking of you, buns..

Today, my friend Rob Bundy (aka "bun bun") checks into Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center on Manhattan's Upper East Side for 8 days of chemotherapy, followed by his 2nd bone marrow transplant on April 15th, to treat a reccurence of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL).

Rob was first diagnosed with leukemia in March 2007, only a year after moving from Knoxville, Tennessee to New York to begin a career in architecture at Kliment Halsband Architects. A month later, he had returned to Tennessee, where he underwent 7 months of treatment in Nashville, culminating in a bone marrow transplant that September.

The transplant was a success. Rob returned to New York in December 2007 and picked up right where he had left off: back to work and back to making sure everyone around him knows just how superior the Tennessee Vols are at all things athletic. (Too bad about that tourny loss)

Unfortunately, this December a biospy done on Rob's knee revealed a recurrence of leukemia in his right femur, prompting another course of radiation and chemotherapy in late December and January- and now the transplant this month. Rob's brother Jameson will be his donor for a second time.

Friends describe Rob as caring, funny, quick with the witt and able to see the best in any situation- even this one. He loves (again) UT Orange, deep sea creatures (especially giant squids- love, Kylie), architecture and is devout in his beliefs. Above all, he is an extremely brave guy.

Today, we're all thinking of you, Buns..

Check out Rob's Caringbridge Journal here: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/robbundy


Want to do something more to help?

Register for the national Bone Marrow Registry. It's a pain-free process but could one day save someone's life. Or sign up for Team In Training or Light the Night, and raise money for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Email me for more information on getting involved with the New York City Chapter.

run this city: the new york city marathon

It's time to do this New York thing, right J? 

I've officially signed on for the 2010 ING New York City Marathon with Team In Training's Fall Season, set to kick off training in June. On November 7th (219 days from now!), I'll run this city: through Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, before crossing Manhattan's Central Park finish line. 

Want to join me? Team In Training has guaranteed entries into the New York City Marathon- over 150 of them! Find out how you can get your hands on one- and be my teammate!- at an upcoming Team In Training information meeting.