But while the actual race is finished, the job of raising money to provide care for kids like JJ through Miracles in Motion goes on until March 1 and I'd truly appreciate your help. I've raised nearly $2,400 to date and remain committed to reaching my $5,000 goal. Thank you, THANK YOU to everyone who has supported the children (and me) so far.

I want to share some moments I'll remember about race day: picking up my friend (and fellow Miracles in Motion participant) Ramona at 6:15 am; waiting 30 minutes for our "corral" of runners to get to the start line (not surprising given 35,000 runners); feeling heartbroken to see so many homeless people gathering up the shirts, pants, and gloves cast off by runners along the race route (though glad to see them get the much needed clothing); hearing the cheers of so many men, women and children along the route; crossing the finish line to see my husband Charlie waiting for me...

and BEST OF ALL seeing JJ and his mom Mary Lou who waited 90 minutes for a shuttle just to come congratulate me after the race. 

For those of you who don't know him, J.J is a bright, funny, out-going 11-year-old who loves dogs, baseball, wood carving, and science. I met J.J. and his mother at the PCH Miracles in Motion Kick-Off Party where we rode go-carts and played a round of miniature golf in which he graciously aided my score by using his feet to bank my ball into the holes. If he hadn’t, we might still be there.

   Something as simple as a game of miniature golf has not always been possible for J.J. who was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) in December of 2002 while he was in first grade.  He had 2 1/2 years of chemotherapy, responding very well.  He spent one week of every month in the hospital for about 12 months — sometimes staying up to four weeks at a time fighting an infection or virus. During the 18 months of outpatient treatment that followed, when he wasn’t taking medications at home, he spent all day, every day for a week at a time getting IV treatments. He went to school when he wasn't sick from the chemo or an infection, and was able to keep up with school work and friends. 

   He went into remission and was able to attend all of 4th grade without any treatment. Then a week after school let out, he relapsed.  Following a bone marrow transplant in November of 2006, he broke his leg in January on a climbing wall, fought off a life-threatening virus in March, and now is tackling 6th grade at home.