Thank you for visiting our site and supporting us!!!  Because of  the overwhelming response and generosity of family and friends we have exceeded our personal fundraining target...we are humbled, very thankfull and overwhelmed.  However, we continue to solicit donations since every dollar donated goes toward helping the Sjogren's Syndrome Foundation find a cure for this disease.  It would be great if we could hit the $10,000 mark...that would mean a lot to the Foundation.   Your continued support and donations are great;y appreciated!!!  Donating through this website is simple, fast, totally secure and the most efficient way to support our fundraising efforts.

This is by far the most physically and mentally challenging event Ken and I have entered.  Each time someone donates or sends us a note of encouragement  it touches our hearts...Thank you so much!!!   On line donations are listed further down the page while donations that came in via personal check are listed below.  Our training up-dates are also listed below.  Please fell free to visit this site often for training and fundraising up-dates.  Once again...Thank you very much!

1. Friends at RACO..................................$300
2. Anne & Ken Economou......................$400
3. Rev Anne Scharon-Glaser(my mom)...$ 50
4. Gretchen Shelton..(my sister).............$100
5. Joyce & John Mcnarney........................$ 50
6. Bob & Norine Baloun............................$25
7. Joe Stackowicz.......................................$25
8. Marilyn & James Wade.........................$50
9. Bob & Marcia Minniti..............................$25
10. Lin & Tricia Burns.................................$100
11. Claire & Bob Williams.........................$100
12. Elizabeth Pinnyei...................................$100
13. Ted & Michele Scherpenberg..............$100
14. Phyllis Kaminski......................................$25
15. Mike & Lynn Rouse..................................$25
16. Tim & Kim Langkil...................................$50
17. Bruce & Peggy Smith.............................$100
18. Neil & Shirley See ..................................$25
19. Diane Sullivan.......................................$25
20. Rick Elnes (Elnes Marketing)...........$100
21. Dan & Naomi Shenk...............................$40
22. Dick & Dixie Couch..................................$50
23. Don & Sandy Brody..................................$25
24. Dave & Dianne Wojeicki........................$25
25. Fred & Judy Odusch.................................$50
26. Ray & Mary Ellen Halicki.........................$20
27. MaryAnn & Ted Kotyuk.............................$20
28. Cash.........................................................$10
29. Ed & Donna Caroll.................................... $25
30. Joan & Jerry Gerard...................................$25
31. Dan Snyder & John Dobey......................$50
32. Tom & Marcia Polaski.............................$100
33. Betsy & Eric Lattanner................................$25
34. Tom Varga..................................................$100 
35. Briann & Jill Anderson.............................$25
36. Joe & Fran Gabriel....................................$25
37. Deb & Bran Grounds..................................$25
38. Cecil & Janice Cadwallader.....................$25
39. Stephen Scharon (my brother).................$100
40. Charlie & Jan Rytlewski............................$50
41. Bob & Darlene Rotella...............................$50
42. Randy & Karen Leliaert.............................$100
43. Ann & Mac McCool...................................$25
44. Jim & Deb Sobota....................................$25
45. Kathleen & Vince Azzaro (my sister).......$100
46. Grant & Diane Nealy................................$25
47. John & Angie Miller...................................$25
48. Steven Scheiner (Continental Sales)....$100
49. Lady Marian...............................................$10
50. Sandy & Dennis Rutherford...................$100
51. Bob & Peggy Krok.................................... $100
52. Bob & Sherry Stackowiak.......................$200
53. Steve & Sheryll Wyman.............................$200
54. Paul & Mary Jo Krizman.............................$50
55. Harvey Hubbell Foundation.....................$2,500
56. John Martin...............................................   $100
57. Jim Wruck.....................................................$200
58. Garatoni Family Foundation......................$200
59. Bill & Judy Lee..............................................$50
60. Elsie Nemeth................................................$50
61. Uncle Jimmy & Helen Swiger....................$100
62. Dianne & Bob Kalthoff.................................$50
63. Progressive Marketing..................................$25
64. McDonald Physical Therapy/Sports Rehab..$100
65. Eileen Bergeron.................................................$10
66. Joe & Bonita Dane.............................................$50
67. SLCM LLC Steve Garatoni.............................$5,200
68. Mac & Sheri Criswell........................................$100
69. Dave & Kasi Hornback.....................................$100
70. Uncle Boyd & Aunt Betty Scharon.....................$25
71. Rhonda Powel....................................................$30
72. Bob & Carol Heslop.............................................$25

Our 17 week training program for the "Country Music Marathon & Half-Marathon" includes lotsa  time spent running and pounding the pavement.  It's hard to believe that during our training Ken will have run 343 miles in preperation for the Marathon and I will have run 246 miles in preperation for the 1/2 Marathon...then we get to run the event.  As I think about it, that's more running than we have done over the past 60 years (including crawling).  

Seven weeks to go and we are starting to recover from the first 10 weeks of training.  We have 4 weeks left of long mile days, then 3 weeks of tapering (less running and more days off...yea) and then the Marathon.  Once again, thanks to everyone for helping make our fundraising a huge success...Ken and I are so great full and overwhelmed with the response.   Your notes of encouragement continue to keep us on track with our training.  Please continue to vist our site and e-mail us at aec49@comcast.net.

 UP-DATE...Anne's training has been going so well she has decided to run the full Marathon.  Way to go Anne.

Wow...13 weeks down with 4 to go before the big day.  A little nervous but very excited about running a marathon.  The accumlative distance training we are doing has taken a toll on our lower body.  We remain mentally strong and Cardio wise we both feel great...it's below the waist that has become a challenge.  Week 13 brought with it an 18 mile training run on Saturday and a much needed day of rest on Sunday.  Between Ken and myself we have logged 480 miles over the past 13 weeks.  During week 14 we will have our longest training run which is 20 miles then the miles start to drop for the 3 week tapering period...yea!  Training together has helped both of us stay focused and push through the tough days. We remain extremely positive, very enthusiastic and commited to the cause.  Thanks for visiting our site!!!

Just finished our 20 mile training run and it actually went better than the 18 miler.  The weather was cooler and we believe that made a big difference.  Ken and I are now back in Indiana with just 21/2 weeks of training left.  We are in the taper stage and thankfull for that.  We leave on Thursday April 23rd for Nashville and run our Marathon on Saturday the 25th.  Ken and I were assigned the same corral to start the race and are excited to be together.  Our next posting will be after the race... Run Forest Run...

April 27, 2009

Well "We Did It".  Ken and I just finished our first Marathon and had a blast the entire weekend.  What a rush!  The streets were lined with people and the bands playing were great.  I carried a camera to capture all the "Kodak Moments".   We both were pretty juiced when we hit the finish lline with all those people cheering us on. 

The Marathon was tough and wound up being the hottest "Country Music Marathon" in their 10 year history.  At 10:00 am the temperature was 85 degress with wind gusts in the 15 mph range.  Certainly to us, it felt like 1,000 degrees with winds up to 100 mph.  The course was very hilly and of the 31,000 plus people running 5,000 did not finish.  Several homeowners had their water hoses out wetting runners down as we passed...that felt great.  Ken and I were very excited that we were able to overcome the conditions and finish the race.  It was great to see and be with all of "Team Sjogren's".  Our shirts stood out, we all finished the race and we raised very important funds to help fight Sjogren's Syndrome. 

Thanks to each and every one of you for your words of encouragement and generosity!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  We are already thinking about our next event.